WASTE MANAGEMENT & RECYCLING


ENVAC: BEYOND THE ROAD T I


n 2007, Envac, an automated vacuum waste management system using an underground network of vacuum pipes, launched in the UK after it was designed into a 4,200 unit residential scheme at Wembley City. Addressing the perennial problem of waste management for large scale residential developments, Envac was an innovative concept that brought with it the promise of a more sustainable alternative to traditional waste collection. Three years later, and after demonstrating huge success in its ability to reduce carbon emissions generated by waste collection vehicles by up to 90 per cent and achieving recycling rates of 50%, Envac is demonstrating that vacuum waste management is here to stay. “This system is revolutionising the way we manage waste”, says Envac’s Managing Director, Julian Gaylor. “It’s cleaner, safer, more hygienic and significantly cuts carbon emissions through reduced traffic. It provides a unique opportunity for developers and local authorities to improve local environments and increase efficiencies by collecting waste more often and for less cost.” Unlike most modern day services,


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waste management has remained unchanged since the 19th century. From the humble dustcart to the modern day refuse vehicles that populate the roads today, waste is still collected from each individual’s household. So, given Envac’s ability to keep waste underground and remove the need for waste collection vehicles, what will happen to traditional waste collection as a tried and tested formula? “Traditional waste collection is made once a fortnight in many areas”, says Julian. “With the Envac system, waste is collected twice a day and the system is part of the building’s fabric. Quite simply, this means no more refuse vehicles, wheelie bins and recycling boxes in residential areas. We’ve worked hard to establish ourselves in the UK and our innovative approach and commitment to harnessing technology takes waste management into the 21st century.” And as a leading environmental technology company, headquartered in Sweden with 35 offices in 20 countries across Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and Asia, Envac’s innovative approach is unquestionable. In fact, Envac invented underground


SUSTAINABLE FM | DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011


automated waste collection and installed its first system in a Swedish Hospital in 1961. The fact that the system is still in operation today, using many of the original parts, is testament to a company that has established itself as the global leader in automated underground vacuum waste collection systems. The system works like this. Waste inlets, one for each type, are placed in groups at various points throughout the site, which can range from large developments or even cover an entire city. Envac’s first installation in Spain demonstrated the technology at Barcelona’s Olympic Village. A computer- controlled system monitors the waste and emptying times are programmed to suit, at which time the valve opens and the waste is sucked into a pipe system. Once in the pipe network, waste is sucked up to speeds of 70mph through distances as long as 2km. Diverting valves ensure that different types of waste do not mix and each type of waste is directed into its correct container at a central point. The waste is then automatically fed into large containers, which are then hoisted onto collection vehicles when full and taken away by the local council or waste


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