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2022 Las Vegas WasteExpo – Q&A

We caught up with our Flame UK Account Managers after they attended the 2022 Waste Expo to find out what they got up to and talk about the new and exciting innovations in the waste industry.

Did you notice a different culture around waste in America?

Ross – “Yes, in the UK all our customers want to know where their waste goes to ensure it doesn’t end up in landfill as zero-to-landfill is big in the UK. However, in the US the companies dealing with waste don’t have to supply information about where the waste is going enabling them to dispose of it how they want, which often ends in landfill.”

Did you see any technology they utilise in America that you think should be brought to the UK?

George – “The progression in their waste vehicle technology is amazing. At the expo it was rare to find a vehicle that was powered by normal fuels like petrol or diesel, they were either electric or powered by natural gas (LPG) which is not something you would normally see in the UK. They’re great because they also have the added benefit of less noise which I think people would appreciate in the morning.”

What did you find the most enjoyable?

George – “Definitely meeting and speaking to new people in the industry. We ended up walking around different stands and talking to people who were enthusiastic about waste and happy to show off the innovative technology they had on display.”

Ross – “It was interesting to talk to different people about which direction they saw the waste market heading in the US, there are a lot of different methods and systems they use in the US which I think would be great to bring back to the UK and implement with Flame UK.”

What was your favourite piece of equipment?

Ross – “We saw a really cool wood shredder that could shred 100 tonnes in 45 minutes, but the coolest thing I saw was a massive CAT compactor that weighs 55 tonnes.”

George – “My favourite piece of equipment would be the shredder; it was just massive and had a huge conveyor belt that would feed the wood into the shredder.”

What was the most futuristic equipment you saw?

Ross – “We saw a robot that was able to identify and pick out recyclable materials from a waste conveyor belt which was very impressive, I could see that type of technology being used to streamline costs in the future.”

Which ‘green’ innovation did you see that has the potential for real impact?

George – “We came across a cool ocean waste bin that was made from recycled ocean plastics, it was made from 40% PCR (post-consumer recycled), and 10% ocean plastics (plastics sourced directly from the ocean). I think it could be a terrific way to recover plastic from the ocean which would be great for the marine life.”

Why did you attend the 2022 waste expo?

Ross – “We have a connection with a company in the US called SmartTrash and they asked if we wanted to come over join their stand. We thought it would be great to have a look at what people are developing and how they’re confronting the challenges we face in the world of waste especially regarding the environment.”

Who are Smart Trash?

George – “SmartTrash are a company that develop innovative waste monitoring systems in the US. Flame UK currently offer their SmartTrash compactor monitor here in the UK. The device simply attaches to your compactor and can accurately measure how full the compactor is, and once full it will send a message to the collection company so your waste is collected the moment the compactor is full. It has potential to double the capacity of your compactor, compared to relying on the in-built indicator lights. It’s a great device to ensure you’re getting the most from your compactors and not overpaying for unnecessary collections, so Flame UK are proud to offer this new tech to the UK.”