Let’s limit our waste production and let’s’ sort it!

Let’s limit our waste production! – Why ?
Preventing the production of waste is the best solution to avoid environmental issues, economic impacts and technical constraints. So, whenever you are involved in the design, manufacturing, distribution, use or dismantling of a product or an activity in general, always remember that the best waste is that which is not produced. The limitation of waste production being an HSE objective declared in 2013 by the CERN Director-General, we encourage everyone to help limit the amount of waste produced through CERN activities.

Let’s sort it! – Why ?
Since the 90s, CERN has implemented a policy to promote recovery of the waste* generated by its activities. Nowadays, CERN is committed to continuously improving its sorting and recovery and therefore various initiatives have been started by GS-IS to improve the recovery of waste (e.g. recovery of organic waste from restaurants; implementation of solar trash compactors - see Bulletin 27-28/2013).

Be aware that CERN annual waste collection is about 5500 tonnes. Around 67 % of the conventional waste managed annually by CERN centralised services, GS and FP Departments is recovered.


Distribution of CERN annual waste collection according to waste categories.
 

Percentage of the total waste recovered.

Metals, wood, bulky waste, paper and cardboard, inert (construction and demolition), waste, plastic (PET and plastic glasses), organic waste, electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), glass, coffee capsules and part of hazardous waste produced at CERN are sorted for recovery. About 70% of the household waste and part of the bulky and inert waste produced is eliminated by incineration at the Usine d’incinération des Cheneviers (Canton of Geneva).

Help us to maintain this waste recovery rate through efficient sorting and, especially, following the waste sorting procedures set up within the Organization.

More information on how to proceed to handle waste at CERN can be found in the dedicated websites of the GS Department:

Collection and disposal of waste;
• Conventional Waste Collection and Classification;
Dangerous Waste Collection and Classification;
• Requests of special bins through the service desk (77777).

For any additional information or questions, please contact: Environment.Info@cern.ch.


*All waste excluding activated material.

by HSE Unit