Solid waste management

All divisions are working to reduce and recycle solid waste, such as cardboard packaging, plastic shrink-wrap packaging, paper and light bulbs. The goal at Bidfreight is zero waste to landfills. Bidfood and Bidpaper Plus employ contractors to collect, sort, recycle and dispose of all solid waste responsibly. Waste streams are now monitored and measured, providing a benchmark for progress. Bidserv employees, drivers and distribution staff are incentivised to bring back packaging from clients. 3663 in the UK leads its industry for reducing outer case packaging weights by 8%.

Conserving resources, reducing impacts
  • Water – Laundry Services has installed continuous batch washer technology that uses about a third of the water of conventional washing machines. Bidfreight has further increased its settling ponds, reducing water runoff and waste to the sea.
  • Contamination – Tightly monitored systems prevent lead contamination at Bidfreight’s Saldanha Bay facility and at Manica’s operations for handling sulphur and zinc in Lüderitz, Namibia. Bidfood uses ammonia as a refrigerant in its controlled atmosphere storage facilities.
  • Marine Resource management – Following excellent management by the Namibian government, supported by Bidvest Namibia, horse mackerel stocks have recovered well and pilchard stocks are improving.