ABB's UK variable-speed drives recycling scheme hits 100 tonne milestone
06/06/2014 ABB Limited (Drives & Motors)
ABB has now recycled 100 tonnes of old variable-speed drives, since it started its recycling scheme in 2003. The ratio of recycled materials has also increased from 90 percent of the drive by weight at the start of the scheme, to 97 percent today.Drives are collected and recycled by certified waste management company S2S, from 12 'bin' sites across the country from Glasgow, Scotland to Sittingbourne, Kent, England. Both ABB drives and those produced by other manufacturers are collected through bins sited at the premises of ABB Authorised Value Providers. Larger drives or large quantities of smaller drives can be collected direct from the end user's premises.
The S2S site has a full waste management permit and is registered as an approved authorised treatment facility (AATF) under the WEEE directive.
Although not required to by the WEEE Directive, ABB offers the recycling scheme as a service to its customers.
Alan Dukinfield of S2S says: "Currently variable-speed drives are not covered by the WEEE Directive. However, should this change in the future, drive users can be assured that we have the capacity to recycle all their waste drives."
Once the drive is removed for recycling, ABB issues a certificate that can be used for environmental audits by end users complying with ISO 14001.
Replacing an older drive with a new model can help users make an immediate impact on their carbon footprint. Depending on size, operating a drive for just half-a-day could cut enough carbon emissions to fully compensate for the carbon impact of manufacturing and disposal of the drive itself. An ABB industrial drive can typically provide a total lifetime savings of around 7,500 MWh or 3,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
For more information, please contact:
Neil Ritchie
ABB Limited
Discrete Automation & Motion
Tel: +44 1925 741 111
Fax: +44 1925 741 212
Email: energy@gb.abb.com
Web: www.abb.co.uk/energy
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