Case study
Edinburgh Airport
Turning road sweepings from a waste problem into a recycling opportunity.
The challenge
As aviation recovered following the global pandemic, we analysed Edinburgh Airport’s waste reports and identified that the road sweepings container accounted for around five percent of on-site volume.
The container was being contaminated with other waste streams, including wood, plastic, cardboard and electrical waste. This affected the recycling performance that the airport could achieve.
The solution
Working with the airport’s Environmental Health Safety and Quality and Airside Support Unit teams, we tightened access to the Sweeper Tip Area and introduced clearer processes for bulky waste.
Bulky waste was redirected to the main waste yard, where it could be segregated for recycling by our dedicated on-site team.
The results
30 - tonnes of road sweepings collected in 2025.
62 %- overall on-site recycling level in 2025, the highest achieved in ten years
11 %- reduction in general waste compared with the previous year.
The improved segregation and removal of bulky contamination allowed the material to be treated as street-cleaning residues rather than general waste, while recyclable bulky material was recovered through the airport’s main waste yard.
Following the introduction of tightened control around the use of the Sweeper Tip Area, this has allowed the airport to see a significant reduction in general waste over the last two years, this has been supported by the initiative of improved quality of the road sweepings container. In 2025 the airport achieved an overall on-site recycling level of 62%, an increase of 4% on 2024 and complimented by a 11% reduction in general waste on the previous year.
Case studies
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Edinburgh Airport
Logistics
11% reduction in general waste by tightened access to tip areas and clearer processes for managing bulky waste.
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Dobbies Garden Centres
Food non-retail
1,131 tonne decrease in general waste by Improved segregation, clearer procedures and more value recovered from recyclable materials.
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Savills
Property Management
£333,000 saved in the first two years through a tailored strategy to reduce waste, manage costs and streamline operations.
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