REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Three great ways you as an individual or an organisation can eliminate waste and protect the environment

By handling our waste streams responsibly, we limit negative impact on the environment. Waste flows are therefore also always part of a CO2 footprint calculation. Within Floréac, the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle principle is the standard.

Specifically, for the first time we carried out a full and detailed calculation of our CO2 footprint. To do this, we have mapped out the necessary information on waste flows, consumption of water, energy and other products and transport movements. With these results, we will now get to work and address the issues that contribute maximally to reducing our footprint. In the coming years, we will continue to measure our footprint and monitor developments.

Energy and heat

We limit our energy consumption by reducing waste and making maximum use of renewable sources. For example, studies are under way to generate our own green energy at both sites

Biggest challenge? The heating of our sites. It largely determines our CO2 footprint. Most urgent question is therefore: how can we retain heat better and thus reduce our consumption?

Transport and traffic

Every day, we spread plant happiness across Europe. Downside of the coin? This involves transport kilometres that contribute to increasing the CO2 footprint. Here, too, we look for constructive solutions. One of them is geographical spread. For example, Floréac has offices and a logistics operation in both the Netherlands and Belgium. The biggest advantage is that we can choose the most advantageous location where we prepare the carts for shipment. This allows us to reduce the number of transport kilometres of the plants and therefore the CO2 footprint per plant. In addition, we load our carts and trucks as optimally as possible

But two locations also means a lot of back-and-forth travel by our employees. These kilometres, and of course commuting, have a significant footprint. Teleworking and digital meetings are part of the solution. Furthermore, we continue to look for ways to reduce the impact of this distance travelled. The upcoming electrification of the vehicle fleet is undoubtedly an important element in this.

Packaging

From the national legislations in our sales countries, there are more and more requirements around packaging. The UK came up with the Plastic Packaging Tax last year, Germany has had the Verpackungsgezets for quite some time, in France there is now a full focus on Triman and packaging declaration in Austria is also changing.

Floréac wants to actively respond to this. Our job is to relieve our customers of this Sustainability in our industry is a chain responsibility. Everything starts with the choices our suppliers make around packaging. Just think of adjustments in trays, pots or seal with regard to materials used. These have an impact throughout the chain

From Plantify Partners Europe, together with Royal Lemkes, we are developing initiatives to reduce the amount of non-recycled plastic in our trade. So as to have a minimal impact on the environment.

What we cannot reuse, we recycle. For this purpose, we have set up different waste streams, including plastic, glass, wood, green, paper, stone/ceramic, metal and residual waste.

We keep exact records of our waste streams so that we can compare them on an annual basis. A working point because the quantity remains constant. We are exploring what we can do to remedy this status quo.

Packaging

For years, Floréac has had a unique collaboration with Aveve around the return flow of single-use cask packaging. Aveve shops collect the cask and periodically return it with transport. The kegs then arrive at Floréac where they are assessed and sorted. Barrels that can no longer be used are recycled. Packaging that is still good is reused in the chain. Result? 68 fewer tonnes of plastic processed as waste every year. Or 10 fewer full trucks of waste. In the last four years, this recycling flow has more than doubled. These single-use plant trays thus got a second or maybe even a third life.

It is a responsibility of the companies in the chain to sort and recycle business-to-business packaging correctly. With Floréac and Aveve’s return flow, we are already setting the right example.

Water

We are committed to water-saving measures by collecting and reusing rainwater. For example, our Lochristi site uses rainwater to flush the toilets and water our stock. A substantial saving on our mains water.