To mark Recycle Week, James Beard's latest Blog reflects on the support and flexibility Valpak and its suppliers provide to customers, even during challenging times for the waste management industry.
It has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us, but as the year has progressed, it has become clear that the waste industry has much to be proud of. Together we have shown a resilience to keep things moving, even whilst the world around us slowed almost to standstill.
Valpak’s Recycling department works with over 100 end markets to service our customers’ sites, collecting everything from cardboard and plastic to waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries. Our service is built on the great relationships we have with our suppliers and we are thankful for all of those on the front line that were able to keep things moving like clockwork. Many customers saw changing work patterns, which needed different collection schedules and different ways of doing things, and our suppliers were able to take these changes in their stride. We’re incredibly grateful for the wonderful relationships we have with our suppliers and customers that made this possible.
The Recycling team at Valpak also played a key part in keeping customers and other interested parties informed of the latest goings on. Our own Matt Luntley ran a series of webinars to provide updates on the impacts of COVID-19 on the waste industry, which I know many of our customers found incredibly useful. The team has also provided a recent, latest update on the health of the recycling markets, which provides attendees with tools to gauge if they are receiving a fair deal on their waste.
Valpak’s Recycling team prides itself not only on being reliable but also on being fair. Whilst the pandemic caused spikes in the packaging waste recovery note (PRN) markets (most notably plastics) we were able to pass back the PRNs generated from our customers’ own waste to offset their compliance bill to help reduce these costs. Some customers are able to offset their compliance costs entirely, whilst also enjoying the high levels of customer service that Valpak is known for.
As we hurtle towards 2021, life remains uncertain. The virus is still with us and there are many unknowns around Brexit, which will come back to the fore in the coming months. One thing of which I am sure of is that Valpak Recycling and our trusted network of partners will be on hand to help you every step of the way.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this weblog represent those of the individual authors and not those of Valpak Limited or any other organisation.