UBS Waste Analysis

The amount of waste generated in office buildings should not be underestimated because disposable packaging is still used, for example for coffee or tea, as well as bottled water. In addition, coffee prepared with capsules or towels for hand drying can also have a significant impact on waste. It is often found in offices that each person has an individual waste can and thus little attention is paid to separation.

UBS, in cooperation with ISS and intep, introduced new waste-management measures as a pilot project in one of their buildings in Geneva. The measures included reusable solutions and central separation stations, as well as measuring and analyzing the quantities and types of waste generated both before and after the changeover by intep. Substantial improvements were achieved. In addition to a reduction in the amount of waste itself, which can be attributed in particular to the elimination of disposable tableware, the recycling rate was also greatly increased. A recycling solution for plastics was not yet available in the Geneva region at the time of the study. However, such a solution could increase the recycling rate by another 10%.

Raising employee awareness also proved to be very significant. Only when employees are made aware of the benefits of the new waste solutions will they actually adopt them.