Collecting batteries in the city by bike courier: a logical choice
We asked ourselves a question: “Is there a way to make the collection of used batteries at our collection points more sustainable?” Of course we can! How about using bike couriers? After all, we thought that having less CO2 and better traffic flow in city centres sounded very promising. Which is how the new collaboration between Bebat, Veolia and Cargo Velo, the largest bike courier service in Belgium, came into being. We kicked things off with a modest pilot project in a number of cities and we can already reveal that there is definitely a taste for more!
Collecting used batteries by bike
Collecting used batteries in cities using cars or vans? My dear, that is so passé! The future is to find more creative and sustainable solutions. And what could be smoother, more ecological and economical than a bike courier? A whole bunch of bike couriers, in fact! And now Bebat and Veolia are happy to lead the way in creating a city that has lower pollution and less traffic congestion as part of a brand-new collaboration with Cargo Velo. In Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp, bike couriers conducted a 4-month trial collection ‘tour’ to carry used batteries safely from Bebat collection points to Veolia’s storage point.
“At Cargo Velo, we’re committed to sustainable transport by bicycle,” says Cargo Velo CEO Sander Vandenberghe. “As a pioneer and the largest bike courier service in Belgium, we are delighted to take part in this pilot project and contribute to the recycling of batteries. Our bike couriers are able to move quickly and safely through the inner cities of Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels, removing the need to have so many vans on the road. Every time we push those pedals round, we’re creating a more liveable city with more space for everyone.”
On to the next ‘tour’!
The initial trial project in Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp was a real success, enabling us to avoid as many as 100 stops by vans and accounting for 360 driving kilometres saved. We can hardly wait to get stuck into the next phase of this highly promising project.
Gerry Reynders, Supply Chain Manager at Bebat: “We’re totally committed to smooth-running mobility in the city center through our collaboration with Veolia and Cargo Velo. It also means that the first step in collecting used batteries – taking them from the city centre to a collection point on the outskirts of town – can be done in a way that’s kind to the climate. This is entirely in line with Bebat’s aim to provide sustainable transport within the entire recycling chain. We are curious to see what the long-term impact of this project will be.”
Werner Annaert, Materials & Development Director at Veolia Belgium & Luxembourg, is also enthusiastic about the project: “Sustainability and safety always come first at Veolia. That’s why it was logical for us to throw our support behind this project, confirming our leading role in the recycling sector. We firmly believe that collection and recycling for other small waste streams will also be determined by sustainable initiatives of this kind in the future.”
The ‘Tour of Recycling’ is likely to become a regular feature in Belgian towns and cities. Are you a supporter of sustainability?
