smart city<\/a>, economic value and sustainability go hand in hand with technological advancements using data collection. Municipalities can analyse big data from different city services, such as water, electricity, transportation, and automated waste collection. Smart services for residents can be innovated, and sustainable and efficient resource planning can be achieved for waste management. The need for well-planned and connected green areas is increasingly important in creating more resilient and attractive cities. The Envac system moves waste management underground, freeing more space for people, bicycles, and recreation. This eliminates the need to build access and transport infrastructure for waste collection vehicles and replace bulky recycling stations with lean waste inlets. The system handles most recyclables and waste, making it easy for users to access and efficiently use non-recyclable waste for biogas or electricity production, district heating, or composting.<\/p>\n25 years of environmental benefits in Lisbon, Portugal<\/h3>\n Expo Park in Lisbon has been equipped with Envac\u2019s automated waste collection system since the 1990s. As the system celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, it is worth noting the positive environmental outcomes it has yielded. The system is serving around 40,000 homes and 120,000 inhabitants while eliminating the need for heavy collection vehicles, which has resulted in significant environmental benefits.<\/p>\n
The automated waste collection system has transported approximately 240,775 tonnes of waste so far. The system has improved urban planning and management by eliminating heavy-duty collection vehicles and bulky waste storage containers on the streets. From an environmental perspective, it has prevented approximately eight tonnes of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to 232 tonnes over the last 25 years. Additionally, it has eliminated 15 tonnes of nitrogen oxide and 58 tonnes of carbon monoxide over time.<\/p>\n
The Expo Park system is a successful example of enhancing the quality of urban life while preserving the environment. On the 25th anniversary of its operation, Envac reviewed the objectives achieved by this infrastructure at both the urban and environmental levels. The automatic waste collection system works through a 40km underground pipe network that transports waste using an air stream to a consolidation plant. Users dispose of the waste through disposal points known as inlets in public areas or inside their buildings. In the future, it is possible that Envac may utilise clean energy sources like solar energy from photovoltaic panels on-site. This would make the project a prime example of sustainable urban development.<\/p>\n
Roberto Rello, Service Director, Envac Region EMEA, said: \u201cThe Envac system has been in operation for half a million hours and is available 24\/7. The successful installation and operation of the resilient waste collection system at Expo Park in Lisbon for the past 25 years is a testament to the importance of preserving the environment and enhancing the quality of life in urban areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Waste system that preserves the city\u2019s cultural heritage in Norway<\/h3>\n Bergen, a city in Norway known for its historical city centre with narrow streets and wooden buildings, has taken innovative steps to preserve its cultural heritage. By choosing an underground pipe-based waste collection system from Envac, Bergen has created a trailblazing solution to traditional bin-based waste collection, making it a global leader in sustainability.<\/p>\n
Envac has helped Bergen to achieve its goal of becoming an international sustainability exemplar by installing a closed underground waste collection. Envac designed a system that could handle 50 tonnes of waste per week using airflow alone without requiring on-street presence from waste collection operatives. In 2007, the first phase of the system was installed, and upon completion, Envac\u2019s pneumatic waste collection system will automatically collect the waste of up to 30,000 apartments multiple times daily.<\/p>\nFig. 3: The figure shows the level of warming expected across European Seas at the end of this century under unmitigated climate change (IPCC scenario SSP5-8.5) (left), and the fraction of warming that may be mitigated under a global policy for sustainable development (SSP1-2.6) (right) \u00a9 Momme Butensch\u00f6n, CMCC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nBergen has won the National Energy Globe Award and, the International Project of the Year Award at the World Congress on Municipal Engineering in Kansas, US for its sustainable urban planning. Using Envac, the City of Bergen has enabled the city to protect and maintain a key part of its cultural legacy and stop further wear and tear on its historical roads caused by waste collection trucks that are too big to move around Bergen\u2019s old, narrow streets effectively. Additionally, it has eliminated the prospect of waste-related fires and burning bins, which would be disastrous for Bergen\u2019s timber buildings, by installing a closed system where fire \u2013 and the risk of fire spreading \u2013 is no longer possible. With this, Bergen has lowered its insurance premiums due to installing a closed waste collection system that inhibits waste-related fires. It has future-proofed its infrastructure by installing a system that will remain operational for decades, reinforcing Norway\u2019s environmental commitment. Bergen has become the first city to make Envac\u2019s cardboard shredding inlets available by locating them in public areas. In 2023, a new waste collection station of Bergen\u2019s automated waste collection is installed that secures the future for generations to come with one of the world\u2019s most sustainable and smart cities.<\/p>\n
Optical sorting: Reducing the impact of waste on the environment<\/h3>\n Optical sorting is a next-generation solution for recycling. By utilising optical sorting solutions, cities of all sizes can reduce transport and collection costs by at least 50% compared to other systems. The optical sorting system can be used with the Envac automated waste collection system or can be added to traditional methods of waste collection to modernise them. It is cost-efficient, straightforward, and has increased recycling rates. The system operates through colour-coded bags specific to each recyclable material type. This makes it easy for users to sort their recyclables, even if they are new to recycling. The bags are disposed of in the same waste bin or inlet and transported to the sorting plant, where they are separated based on their colour and placed in their corresponding container. This streamlines transportation and reduces costs and emissions.<\/p>\n
Residents and users do the separation of waste from recyclable materials at home. Clear information and easy separation and disposal are key factors for success. Envac\u2019s decades of experience have shown that customising the information campaign together with the system owner drives user engagement.<\/p>\n
Envac has successfully implemented the system in the GrowSmarter project at Valla Torg, Stockholm. Households reduced their general waste by 65% after we replaced their old recycling methods in this project. The system collects information on weight per fraction, how well users have done the sorting, how recyclables are disposed of, and much more. This data is used to optimise the system beyond any conventional system. Tech advancements enable the configuration of the system\u2019s capacity and collection intervals and further increase recycling, making the system sustainable and smart.<\/p>\n
The optical sorting system can handle recyclables such as food waste, paper packaging, plastic packaging, metal, textiles, newspapers, colourless glass, coloured glass, and combustible waste. With such flexibility, Envac can provide a system that fits every need and any size of city or municipality.<\/p>\n
The future for us, and the generations to come<\/h3>\n The Envac automated waste collection system is currently being used in various cities across the world, including Paris, Seoul, Stockholm, London, Singapore, Oslo, Hong Kong, and Dubai. In conclusion, Envac provides a sustainable and innovative waste management solution that transforms urban living by reducing manual labour and promoting better hygiene. By integrating with other city-specific platforms, the system can make cities safer, resilient, and sustainable, aligning with sustainable development goals. Envac\u2019s commitment to driving progress towards a cleaner and more efficient waste management system is a promising step towards a better world for future generations.<\/p>\n
Please note, this article will also appear in the sixteenth edition of our\u00a0quarterly publication<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Envac is driving advancements in automated waste collection for a more efficient waste management system in a rapidly evolving world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":39966,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24433],"tags":[610,529,24229,24527],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Shaping the world of automated waste collection for the future<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n