OCS has seen a lot of positive transformation since the merger with Atalian Servest in March 2023. With transformation comes change and in every aspect of our business we aim to process change as sustainably as possible.
In vein with Net Zero Week this week, we recognise the impact of modern waste, particularly clothing waste — with about 30% of unwanted clothing ending up in landfill in the UK, translating to an estimated £140 million worth of clothing ending up in landfill — we were determined to ensure that our growth and progress would not be marred by waste. To achieve this, we partnered with recycling specialists, Avena and our uniform partners, RK Styles, to phase out our old-branded uniforms.
Working closely with experts in the field, we designed a custom solution to map out various ways the old uniforms could be reused. From February to April 2024, we successfully recycled over 4,000 items, weighing nearly 2.5 tonnes. The former uniforms were repurposed into yarn, mattress filling, pellets for energy generation and insulation textiles, serving entirely new purposes.
Avena implemented a unique process for recycling the uniforms, emitting only 0.05 tonnes of emissions thereby saving over 1 tonne of CO2e if the items had been instead sent to landfill. The savings from this process are equivalent to driving 2,931 miles in a petrol car across the width of the United States.
We are thrilled to contribute positively to the environment and consider this initiative one of the many steps we take toward environmental stewardship in all aspects of our business.
