waste. There are also strict rules for waste incineration and, last but not least, stopping underground waste. These disposal options are only allowed if reuse or recycling is not possible anymore.
EUROPEAN CLEANING
MACHINES RECYCLING (ECMR) To work on the awareness of manufacturers and their networks of distribution, European Cleaning Machines Recycling (ECMR) was set up 2011. Utilising the knowledge gained from Johan van der Reest and myself over the course of three decades working within the cleaning industry, we set ECMR up to try and encourage manufacturers and their distributors to reduce the amount of waste they produce by recycling, reusing or upcycling their cleaning machines once they had reached the end of their lifespan.
ECMR is in favour of European legislation, particularly with regard to the modernisation of the waste policy. Europe, with its good market position and infrastructure, has much interest in the field of recycling, reusing and upcycling, and has a similar policy for waste management in the EU. ECMR agrees with laying the emphasis on prevention – waste prevention is not an end goal in itself but is a means to reduce the pressure on the environment.
ECMR is ISO 14001 and 26000 certified and pursues a transparent and centralised policy, according to the waste streams towards all manufacturers and suppliers in their relevant markets, and we have gained recognition for our work, winning the Innovation award at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN exhibition in Amsterdam in May 2014, and getting nominated for the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards, held in Barcelona this September.
When there is an amalgamation of clear action together with all the cleaning machine and equipment manufacturers within in the EU, it will create a symbiosis and can prevent serious harmful situations in the future, no matter if cleaning machines or equipment nowadays are yellow, blue, green, red or grey. It is extremely
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“Collecting and returning equipment for recycling,
reuse and upcycling needs to be a common practice for manufacturers and
their networks in the EU to reach effectiveness in their sustainability policies.”
AMBITIOUS WASTE TARGETS The time has come to turn cleaning equipment waste into a useful resource by increasing the recycling, reuse and upcycling of waste materials and products. We urge for an ambitious action on the waste management review of waste targets by each cleaning equipment manufacturer operating and supplying within the EU, and to allay current competitors’ fears towards the market when it comes to recycling, reuse, upcycling and demolition waste.
ECMR is the key driver in this process on a Europe-wide scale and has during our implementations, significantly helped to raise awareness in the cleaning industry. In May 2015, ECMR spoke to the VDMA in Verona on our thoughts of waste, and our recycling, upcycling and reuse policy framework.
The European Commission proposes an 80% target of recycling waste by 2030. If the cleaning industry could make this ambitious plan happen, than we need to join together within the EU with a plan for waste management, like that set by ECMR.
Collecting and returning equipment for recycling, reuse and upcycling needs to be a common practice for manufacturers and their networks in the EU to reach effectiveness in their sustainability policies.
important that the cleaning machine and equipment manufacturers in the market, along with their distribution networks in Europe, will lead by example, to address the problems and solve them in an adequate way.
At a global level, there are major problems with the environment, food, energy, etc. An international approach is needed. So it’s good that ECMR, with the manufacturers and their distribution networks in Europe have set the example and can now tackle these problems. We at ECMR are proud that we have taken the initiative and have provided an answer to this important case for our future generations.
For manufacturers to effectively move forward into a zero waste society, they need to play a key role by setting mandatory targets throughout their chosen distribution channels within the EU for the collection for recycling and reuse of their cleaning equipment. Meaning that they won’t end up at landfills or falling into organised crime groups (OCGs) for illegal dumping. This will help us as an industry to set the standards to a higher level and become a solid partner for a sustainable future for our next generations.
I invite all manufacturers, distributors, CSR managers, purchase managers and CEOs to come up with ideas and partnership with ECMR to boost this tremendous challenge that we have taken, so that we can ‘Live well within the limits of our planet’, now and for our future generations.
www.ecmr.nu INDUSTRY COMMENT | 21
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