- Urgent nationwide product recall
- Emergency waste collection from nearly 800 offices
- All waste had to be removed within 72 hours of first call
- All the waste was collected on time and treated safely, sustainably and correctly
WasteSafe Services showed its true emergency waste collection and business continuity credentials in the face of an extreme situation that required collections from 800 offices spread across the country within three days.
A critical nationwide product recall meant the customer had to ensure all recalled items were removed from offices within just 72 hours. There was no advance warning and the collection could only be handled by a trusted, fully licensed waste carrier.
800-site emergency waste collection
WasteSafe Services specialises in emergency, unscheduled waste collections. From fly tipping to commercial freezer breakdowns, this kind of waste must be disposed of quickly and correctly by licensed waste carriers.
Scheduled waste collection services are not flexible enough to respond to an emergency waste problem, which is when WasteSafe Services steps in at very short notice.
Fergus Healy, WasteSafe Services Director, said: “In an emergency, our customers trust us to get the job done. That is the nature of our business. We are well organised, dedicated and diligent, and we enable our customers to keep their businesses operating without a hitch.
“Although our business model is rooted in responding to emergency situations even we found the scale of this challenge rather daunting. To cover 800 sites spread over the whole country within three days required very high levels of commitment from everyone at WasteSafe Services. The team handled it well.”
National waste collection capacity
WasteSafe Services’ advantage over many other reactive waste collection companies – apart from speed and flexibility – is its national reach.
Service Controllers Geoff Hodgkins and Stephanie Thring coordinated the waste collection.
Stephanie said: “The reason we were able to accomplish what was impossible for others is that we already work on a nationwide basis, with the right people and processes in place.
“Our customer had to make just one phone call – to us – and we coordinated the entire collection. If the customer had used anyone else, it would have required multiple phone calls to regional waste operators. The customer would have had to coordinate all the collections by different companies, which would have been very difficult. It is very unlikely that the waste would have been collected without a glitch in just 72 hours,” said Stephanie.
The team mapped out circular routes that included every single collection plus the nearest waste treatment facility. At the end of each day, they checked off each office to make sure the collection had been done. The vehicles’ GPS systems helped to track each waste collection and disposal, which were fully recorded.
There was a mood of jubilation as the number of offices cleared increased hour by hour.
“I can’t praise the team enough,” said Geoff. “The collection meant 4am starts and three very long days, but we really pulled together to get the job done.
“The team maintained absolute discretion. Customers were unaware that this was not a regular scheduled collection.”
Overcoming obstacles
Waste collection operative Alan Bigg was among those in the WasteSafe Services team who made sure the job ran as smoothly as possible. All WasteSafe Services operatives are fully trained and highly skilled.
He said: “It was an amazing few days. What made the job really special was the amazing attitude of the customer. At every site we went to they were unfailingly kind and helpful. They were incredibly nice and this boosted my impression of the company.
“Our task is to overcome obstacles and get the job done. Emergency waste collections mean dealing with everything from navigating unfamiliar routes in the dark to parking and loading problems in city centres.
“No matter what happened, we just got on and did the job. Who knows when the next one like this will come in, but regardless, we’ll be ready.
Managing reputational risk and business continuity
WasteSafe Services doesn’t subcontract its core collection service to third parties, so there is no loss of control during the assignment, collection and treatment process. Operatives really understand the nature of a waste emergency and the potential damage it can cause to a business’s operations and reputation.
WasteSafe Services is classified as an upper tier waste carrier by the Environment Agency. All waste is disposed of safely and legally. WasteSafe Services only works with trusted waste treatment facilities and recycling plants. Waste disposal solutions comply with the waste hierarchy and are fully traceable and digitally recorded.
