Lovell buys balers to save on skip costs

The company had discovered that each skip leaving its sites contained on average 40% of fresh air. By segregating and compacting the waste, Lovell has been getting getting more into each skip. The first baler Lovell brought to trial at a site in Wellingborough paid for itself within just two months. The success of this site led to the trial being extended recently to an additional site in Sandwell.

Lighter, bulkier items that are traditionally put in mixed skips - such as packaging, cellophane and cardboard - are now being baled. Skips are receiving more inert material that weighs more, including bricks, timber and demolition/strip-out material. This is improving the pound per tonnage disposal rates and all baled material is collected free of charge by a recycling company.

At the Sandwell site, the baler produces six to seven bales per week, making an immediate saving of at least two 8-yard skips per week at £125 each, not counting the reduced journeys and fuel costs. At the Wellingborough site, Lovell has been able to reduce the skip size from 40 yards to 20 yards while increasing the weight in each skip being returned.

“Using these skips has been a great success, demonstrating benefits to Lovell, our clients and above all, the environment,” said Lovell Midlands managing quantity surveyor Carl Yale. “I can only see their use increasing across the company. We will continue to monitor waste records including quantity and type of skips used, weight of skips and content of skips in order to continue reducing waste leaving site altogether or, when waste is inevitable, recycling as much as possible. Reducing void space in the skips is a significant factor in improving our performance.

“On top of the practical and environmental benefits, the site compounds now look tidier because cardboard and paper are stacked neatly for recycling, and there are dedicated bays for operatives to segregate waste ready for it to be baled. The balers have been well received by operatives who have been delighted with how easy it is to use.”

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