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Dear Readers!
The refugee crisis, caused by the war in Syria, has awakened Europe from a deep slumber. Individual member states are outdoing each other – introducing one uncoordinated measure after another as they attempt to stem the seemingly never-ending flow of people desperately seeking help. Whilst Chancellor Merkel is hoping to bring about a European solution, others are closing their borders and seriously thinking about exiting the European Union. No matter where you look, people are saying the party is over. It is time now for facts rather than emotions to be brought to the table. Germany has around 81 million inhabitants and its economy has never been so good. Approximately one million refugees had entered the country when the state elections were held in Baden-Württemberg, Saxony-Anhalt and Rhineland-Pfalz on 13 March. To use the same metaphor: if 81 people are invited to a party and they are joined by one international guest, then the party is by no means over. On the contrary, there is a great opportunity here for the new guest’s culture, experience and vitality to enhance the event and make it even more interesting.
As Germany’s population continues to fall, demographers are assuming that the country will need around 500,000 new immigrants every year simply to keep its social security system functioning. In the future, therefore, we may find ourselves being grateful each time a migrant decides to stay and do an apprenticeship in our country. What is needed is genuine integration. The Minister for Labour, Social Affairs and Inclusion in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rainer Schmeltzer, recently published a brochure in four languages so that refugees could find out how the public transport system works in the district of Unna. Whilst talking to one of REMONDIS’ board members, he called on the recycling sector to do something similar. The majority of the migrants have little or no experience of using different coloured bins to separate waste. REMONDIS has stepped up to the mark and published a flyer in German, English, French, Farsi and Arabic. We would also be very pleased to receive applications from registered refugees wishing to do an apprenticeship at our company, for example to become a professional truck driver.
If the state of North Rhine-Westphalia were to be a country in its own right, then it would be among the top 10 European nations when it comes to population figures and economic power. The latest waste management report shows that our industry has become one of the biggest drivers of growth. Whilst traditional industries, such as coal, steel and energy, continue to decline, an ever increasing number of people are working in recycling, industrial and municipal services and water management. REMONDIS is both a driving force and the backbone of this really pleasing development. And what makes REMONDIS what it is, is its 32,000 employees who work for their local inhabitants and their municipal and industrial customers in 33 countries every single day. Looking at all this, it is a shame that politicians would appear to be paying so little attention to the IFAT exhibition which is being held in Munich from 30 May to 03 June. REMONDIS is going to be there even if the Federal Minister of the Environment is not. We look forward to seeing you there!
Yours
Ludger Rethmann
High sustainability standards – not just at REMONDIS
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The market for coffee capsules is growing all around the world. An ever growing number of people are choosing to buy coffee pod machines so they can make themselves a fresh cup of coffee whenever they want one. Hollywood actor George Clooney is also a fan and has been advertising Nespresso coffee capsules for years now with his “What else?” slogan. He is, therefore, promoting a brand that unites premium coffee with high standards of sustainability.
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Practising the highest levels of recycling
Nespresso is considered to be the pioneer of the coffee pod sector. The company, a division of the Nestlé Group, launched these popular coffee capsules onto the market 30 years ago. Soon after, it began setting up a global recycling scheme for the used pods. Collection and recycling systems were created wherever its customers were unable to return their used pods via established national collection schemes. As is the case in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, where Nespresso has established an exemplary recycling system with REMONDIS’ support.
Cross-border collection scheme for the Benelux countries
A variety of options are available to customers wishing to return their used pods to provide them with a convenient service as well as to ensure the pods are collected separately: they can drop them off at the Nespresso Boutiques, arrange to have them collected from their home when they place a new order or take them to special collection points. REMONDIS’ subsidiary, Dusseldorp, is responsible for organising the collection and transport of this material stream in the Benelux countries. The company picks the capsules up once a week – both from the Dutch Boutiques as well as from the central collection points across the whole of the Benelux region where the couriers leave the returned capsules that they have collected from the customers’ homes.
Recovering the aluminium
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REMONDIS-Dusseldorp then transports the capsules to the Dutch town of Lichtenvoorde where it operates a recycling facility that is able to separate the pods’ aluminium from the coffee grounds on a grand scale. This highly effective and successful plant was set up especially for this purpose. One of the reasons for the plant’s great success is the actual design of Nespresso’s capsules. Unlike its competitors’ products, the whole of the Nespresso pod – whether it be the lid or the capsule itself – is made of aluminium which makes it ideal for recycling. As the purity levels of the separated aluminium are so high, it can be compacted or melted down and then sent straight to aluminium-processing businesses – further treatment is not necessary.
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The company’s goal is to be recycling absolutely all of its used coffee pods by 2020
Used coffee perfect for energy and fertilisers
The spent coffee grounds can also be recycled. These are fed through a digester with a downstream composting facility that is operated by ARN, a company based in Nijmegen. ARN, in which REMONDIS owns a share, can use this material in three different ways: to generate biogas, to produce compost and to make CO2 fertiliser. For the fertiliser, the carbon dioxide, generated by the treatment process, is discharged as a liquid and used for growing plants under glass.
The coffee grounds can also be recycled. They can be transformed into energy and fertiliser.
Nespresso has been collaborating with the REMONDIS Group’s companies in the Netherlands since 2009. Over the years, this cooperation work has steadily been expanded. Mark Ruijgrok, country business manager, explained: “We have made concrete and tangible advances right from the beginning. These, in turn, have helped to make Nespresso even more sustainable. And sustainability is an integral feature of our company philosophy – both in the Benelux countries as well as in all other countries around the world.”
Recycling target already reached
Nespresso currently recycles a good 80 percent of its used coffee capsules worldwide. As far as these coffee specialists are concerned, this is an important milestone but there is still room for improvement. The Swiss company has raised the bar that little bit further with its sustainability strategy, “The Positive Cup”: they wish to offer their customers the world’s best and most sustainable cup of coffee. Its goal here is to be recycling 100 percent of their used coffee pods by 2020. This target has already been achieved in the Benelux countries and in neighbouring Germany – together with REMONDIS. “What else?” as George Clooney would say.