DRIVING REAL
Recorra is renowned for its world-class recycling and waste management services. Now in its 36th year, the company is exploring new expansion opportunities as it continues its mission to provide the most diverse and expansive range of recycling services UK has to offer. Managing Director Bill Swan recounted Recorra’s journey, during an in-depth interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Recorra was established in 1988, by Friends of the Earth, under the name Paper Round. Initially designed to offer paper recycling to offices in London, the company has since expanded and enhanced its offering.
“The paper recycling service quickly gained traction, and it became abundantly clear that this was a service offices wanted,” explained Managing Director Bill Swan. “We ran that service through the ‘90s, before reaching our next milestone in 2000, when we realised a new chapter was needed.”
It was at this point that Recorra transformed into a fully commercial business, and before long the company was exploring new
avenues, including cans, plastics and glass.
“It was at this point that Recorra transformed from a charity initiative to a fully commercial business, and before long the company was exploring new avenues, including cans, plastics and glass.
“This was when the Recorra we know today was born,” continued Mr Swan. “Since then, our trajectory has focused on honouring our original promise of fulfilling customers’ needs for recycling.”
Today, the company operates with 38 different recycling services and a new name that better reflects its position as a comprehensive recycling and waste management provider. This has enabled Recorra to diversify
from the office setting, taking on all kinds of commercial clients in London. From food and beverage to hotels, Recorra does it all.
“We were actually the first commercial recycling firm to recycle food, and we did this way back in 2007, before anyone else,” said Mr Swan.
In fact, this is not the only time Recorra has achieved a first within the industry. The company has also been breaking records relating to sustainability.
Positive progression
Determined to lead by example, Recorra was the first commercial recycling company in London to put an electric refuse collection vehicle on the road. This was achieved three years ago and was just the first step in the company’s plan to fully decarbonise its fleet.
“Since then, we have added two more electric refuse vehicles to our operations, making our fleet the largest electric refuse fleet on the roads,” revealed Mr Swan. “This
was a heavy investment costing us a total of £1.2 million, but it’s one that we were expected to make as green leaders.”
Also employed by Recorra are a series of electric cargo bikes, which the company relies on to complete minor drop-offs and pickups. According to Mr Swan, this mode of transportation really highlights the company’s
dedication to delivering the right environmental solution at a sensible price.
The company is also focused on finding new ways to improve the circularity of its customers’ waste. Starting with Recorra’s paper recycling stream – where it often employs its electric cargo bikes – the company collects, separates and recycles used paper
back into copier paper. This is then sold back to the clients six weeks after the initial waste collection occurred.
“If that paper had gone into a mixed waste stream, it would have been contaminated and would no longer be suitable for recycling,” continued Mr Swan. “It is only by offering source-segregated streams, that we can preserve the value of this waste.”
Recorra also has a separate waste stream for coffee grounds, which can be used to make biofuel logs. As for electronics, the company endeavours to refurbish and resell where possible.
“Our ultimate aim is to deliver excellent value-for-money services that achieve the best environmental outcome,” added Mr Swan.
Expanding together
The company also carefully chooses partners that offer the best solutions for transforming client waste, while retaining the value of the product. For example, the company’s harder to recycle plastics are used to make Storm BoardTM after being shipped to a company in the Northeast of England.
“We also work with James Cropper who takes our hard-to-recycle coffee cups and transforms them into high-end packaging for retail customers,” said Mr Swan. “We have been working with this company for a number of years, and it is always fun to see what it comes up with.”
Another prominent partnership that Recorra has formed is with eco-catering disposables expert Vegware. With the understanding that
a huge portion of compostable food ware does not actually get composted, Recorra worked to implement a separate waste stream for Vegware’s products to ensure they were being processed correctly and taken to a composting plant.
“These examples really highlight the value of working with our partners to ensure everything is working as smoothly as possible,” continued Mr Swan. “We also created a separate waste stream for paper towels thanks to our amazing partner Tork UK and have just this year added another stream following the addition of a new client.”
During the summer months, Recorra began offering a brand-new composting stream for green waste. The idea for this exciting endeavour developed from a new contract with Arsenal Football Club.
The club had a vast amount of grass clippings that needed to be disposed of.
Understanding that there was already a demand from other customers, who’s sites rely on landscaping, Recorra took the leap and began transporting this waste to an In-vessel composting site where all composting is completed. Despite being a new element of Recorra, this waste stream has been incredibly successful so far.
With all this expansion, it is no wonder that Recorra has successfully doubled in size since the Pandemic.
Waste reduction
As it focuses on the future, Recorra wants to continue evolving away from the traditional waste management focus on mixed recycling – something that a large portion of the industry still favours.
“We now have such a broad range of waste streams that I think we would struggle to expand this area too much further,” explained
Mr Swan, in conclusion. “Instead, we would love to focus more on enhancing our ability to reuse and repair.
“Additionally, helping our clients to reduce their waste will become a more prominent aspect going forward, as we want to encourage them to look beyond the recycling rates and focus on avoiding unnecessary waste all together.”
