How NorthLink Ferries divert 92% of waste from landfill

Wednesday 12th October 2016

NorthLink Ferries carry approximately 300,000 passengers a year and, as you can imagine, this generates a lot of waste! We always aim to be the best we can be across all sectors of the business and this includes waste disposal. We hope one day to achieve zero landfill waste.

We have been working closely with One Stop Waste Solutions, an organisation based in Aberdeen. In 2006, One Stop Waste was established to assist organisations in the North East of Scotland to manage their waste effectively. One Stop Waste Solutions has allowed NorthLink Ferries to divert 92% of all their waste from landfill.

The crew on-board are the key participants in achieving these high figures. The crew ensure that we are recycling and following the One Stop Waste’s guidelines. Waste from cabins is segregated into paper, plastic, and glass. It is then sent down to the car deck to be placed into large bins before heading out to larger containers. Our waste from the kitchen and around the ship also is segregated at the source and follows the same procedures as our cabin waste.

Where appropriate, items which have reached the end of their life are broken down and reused on-board. If possible, some items which can have an extended life are donated to good causes. For example, all our mattresses from the ships get donated to Restart Orkney, which is a registered charity that help people into employment. More recently 750 duvet covers were donated to Stella’s Voice, a charity which protects the world’s most vulnerable from trafficking.

NorthLink Ferries are extremely proud of our partnership with One Stop Waste Solutions!