Northern Irish waste management company, RiverRidge, has invested in its glass waste collection service with two new state-of-the-art biofuel vehicles, expanding its footprint and service across the region.

The introduction of the new 16-tonne vehicles will allow RiverRidge to better serve its expanding customer base across Northern Ireland, including The Merchant Hotel in Belfast, with which it recently secured an extensive new service agreement.

The expanded service will see all glass waste collected from customers across the region managed in house by RiverRidge, eliminating the need for sub-contractors and therefore reducing the carbon footprint of the company’s collection services. This is something of particular importance to RiverRidge which, in the launch of its inaugural ESG report earlier this year, committed to reducing the carbon cost of its collection services by 90% by 2040 through the upgrade of its fleet, increased route density and the transition to alternative fuels.

The newest additions to RiverRidge’s fleet run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel, a renewable and clean-burning diesel alternative that can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent compared to regular diesel. Produced from plant waste, oils, and fats, HVO supports the circular economy and provides a more sustainable option without compromising, and potentially even enhancing, engine performance compared to traditional diesel.

Brett Ross, CEO of RiverRidge said: "The expansion of our glass waste collection service will offer our customers a more extensive service offering; from general, food and oil, and dry mixed recycling waste collections, they can utilise the one company for all, with the confidence that their waste is being treated in the most environmentally friendly way. The hospitality and retail food sectors particularly require a reliable and dependable collection service, and we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver that across all sectors.

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"As part of our ESG strategy, we have committed to more sustainable ways of working, and helping our customers to address the environmental cost of waste and resource management. The addition of the new biofuel glass collections vehicles is one way that can help us achieve that."

James Sinton, Group Finance Director of Beannchor spoke about the new service level agreement with RiverRidge stated: "When we were looking for a new provider, we wanted a supplier that not only aligned with our own sustainability goals but could comprehensively deal with all our waste and resource needs. We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment, and working towards being a more sustainable business, planet and society. RiverRidge’s all-inclusive service offering and clear ESG goals gave us the confidence that our waste is being treated in the most environmentally friendly way. We look forward to seeing the impact of both our actions throughout the partnership."

The new glass collection vehicles, Mactip 180s, were supplied to RiverRidge by Antrim-based MacPac Refuse Bodies. These vehicles feature the latest XB specification, equipped with state-of-the-art safety features and emission-reducing engines, further supporting the company's sustainability goals.

They are also equipped with the industry-leading ENVIROWEIGH dynamic bin weighing system, enabling the monitoring and recording of each bin's weight, which can then be compiled into customisable reports for customers.

Stephen Thompson, Group Transport Manager at RiverRidge commented: "We are delighted to add the Mactip 180s to our fleet; a robust, durable and quality solution that will service the growing needs of our customer base across Northern Ireland.

"The vehicles are specifically designed for the collection of glass waste, and working together with MacPac, which offers a full repair and maintenance package provided by Stewarts, ensures that our fleet remains one of the freshest, safest, and most efficient in the region. This offers assurance to our customers that they are getting the highest level of service within the waste and resource management sector across the region."

Concluding, Brett said: "At RiverRidge, we want to offer our customers more than just a waste collection service. We want to help them meet their sustainability goals and see the impact of and better understand the carbon impact of their own operations. That’s why, in addition to the investment we have made in our fleet, we are making significant investment in software to enable progression to advanced carbon reporting (Scope 3), which is due for launch later this year. By illustrating these carbon offset figures, it shows the benefits of scope 1, 2 and 3 for customers, and allows them to see tangible results of their emissions."