Quality in general

Quality plays an important role at Coolrec Group in two areas, the quality of our services as well as the quality of our products. This is very well known and recognised in the industry. Coolrec Group was the first to receive WEEELABEX certification for all sites. The first certification was received back in 2015 and we have renewed certifications year after year for all our sites. Furthermore, our employees are actively involved within the WEEELABEX organisation and in developing industry standards. Besides, staff of Coolrec Group play an important role in multiple projects financed by the European Commission to further increase the industry standards with respect to quality and sustainability. We are also ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified and we plan to achieve EuCertPlast / EN 15343 certification for our recycled plastics in 2021. We also take our responsibility for the impact of our production processes on environment (Sustainability) and people (Occupational Health) and are actively driving this based on an integrated approach including operations and HR. We plan ISO 45001 certification early 2021.

Coolrec is constantly improving its performance and processes with regard to safety, health, environment and quality and applies the latest techniques and knowledge. We have a great safety record. The 12-month rolling incident rate for Coolrec Group has reduced over the last years towards zero: last incident with more than 3 days of absence was in May 2019. We have had no environmental breach, nor complaint from e.g. neighbours. Unsafe or non-compliant behaviour is simply not accepted.

Permits

we have all the necessary permits for the treatment of the e-waste. For the transboundary shipments, we also have all the necessary permits (WSR/EVOA’s) in place. These transboundary shipments include the shipments from the hubs in Belgium to our treatment facility in the Netherlands, shipments of specific output fractions (e.g. refrigerants and blowing agents) and shipments of the CF fraction to our alternative treatment sites in case of calamities.

Safety, health and Environment policy (SHE)

Safety, sustainability and accountability are three of the six core values of Coolrec Group. With below statement regarding safety, health, environment and quality, Coolrec Group management wants to make it clear to all its stakeholders, such as employees, customers, shareholders and society, that respect for people and the environment are central in its business operations

SHE management on a tactical level

We are constantly improving our performance and processes with regard to safety, health, environment and quality and applies the latest techniques and knowledge. This is one of the reasons why we have chosen to align its policy on safety, health, environment and quality with well-known management systems

• ISO 45001 for occupational health & safety
• ISO 14001 for the environment
• ISO 9001 for quality

These standards are based on idea of continuous improvement (improvement or PDCA cycle of Demming, where PDCA stands for Plan Do Check Act) and are known to all stakeholders. In addition, these standards can be certified, which increases transparency.

The preconditions for arriving at such an integrated management system are stated in the so-called Renewi SHEQ Covenant. These preconditions are stated as system and process requirements. Requirements have been set for risk management and analysis, management of incidents, resource management and safeguarding, working at heights and depths and in confined spaces, rolling stock including internal traffic, working with hazardous substances and transpiration and communication. This all to give substances to the two SHEQ main objectives:

Unsafe behavior is not accepted. Strict compliance with laws and regulations.

SHE management and monitoring at operational level

The further translation at operational level has its basis in the implementation in the management system. The management system has been ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certified for many years (initial year 2008). Our management system also complies with the frameworks set internally within the Renewi Group as stated in the Renewi SHEQ Covenant. All standard sections from the standards are translated within the management system.

Outlet compliances

Renewi Group and Coolrec Group share a common registration and assessment system for our processors. The registration of processors takes place in our registration system Salesforce. Salesforce is therefore the digital tool for registering assessments/audits and the required documents, such as permits, certificates and assessments (compliances). For each processor, a manager has been assigned which is responsible for the assessment and processing of the database. Every new processor is assessed by the assigned manager before any material is shipped. Each processor is then reassessed every three years. Colleagues who are doing the processor audits are specifically trained to do so.

WEEELABEX / EN 50625

The quality of our services is assessed externally through the WEEELABEX certification. The WEEELABEX Organization implement the CENELEC EN 50625 standards into the accredited certification schemes. Every Coolrec Group location where it applies is certified in accordance with WEEELABEX. External audits is conducted annually, which include actual tests and analyzes on the outcome of our processes. We are proud to announce that we have had the WEEELABEX certificates in our possession for many years (since 2015).

EuCertPlast / EN 15343

A circular economy is an economic and industrial system in which no finite raw material stocks are exhausted and in which residual materials are partly or completely re-used in the system. Through the recycling/recovery of WEEE material into raw materials such as materials and plastics, we make a positive contribution to this circular economy. In 2021 Coolrec Plastics expects to receive an EuCertPlast certification (in accordance with EN 15343). This system certifies the traceability, the quality and the recycled content in the recycled plastics we produce. It will give our customers a guarantee on recycled content, REACH, POP and RoHS compliance, and on mechanical properties. EuCertPlast is required for our customers if they want to apply for the Blue Angel label.

More information on the certification scheme can be found on: https://www.eucertplast.eu

Sustainability strategy, CO2 balance, Energie efficiency & Recycling rates

Coolrec Group is part of the Renewi Group. At Renewi level, a sustainability strategy is formed for the period of 2020 until 2025. The strategy has three key themes, which are directly linked to 6 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. A report is prepared annually, based on the UN Global Compact and Principles, which elaborates further on the strategy, key objectives and results. As a Circular Economy company, we play a very important role in this Renewi policy. The most recent version can be found via the website.

We make a major contribution to reducing the CO2 footprint. This is mainly due to the recovery of materials that can be reused as an alternative to new materials to be mined. Different projects and associated objectives in the field of sustainability fall under each main item. Important parts are the recycling percentage and reduction of the CO2 footprint of the organization. We see a growing positive contribution in both.

As part of Renewi Group, Coolrec Group uses a CO2 management system in accordance with the CO2 Performance ladder level 4. In this way we ensure better insight, clear reduction targets, communication and participation in the chain and we contribute to a sustainable society. The CO2 Performance ladder is an instrument to encourage companies to act CO2 consciously in their own business operations and in the chain. This concerns energy saving, the efficient use of materials and the use of sustainable energy. The CO2 Performance ladder is managed by the Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement & Business (SKAO).

An Energy Efficiency research is carried out for all Coolrec Group locations in accordance with the European Energy Efficiency Directive. The energy consumption is closely monitored. Details are anticipated. The energy saving potential has been mapped out and realistic plans of approach have been worked out.

Recycling rates (Material Recovery)

• 74% (input SDA/LHA - ICT mix)
• 85 % (input CFVA)

Sustainability within Coolrec Group

We are doing many initiatives to improve on sustainability, and several initiatives are still on-going or planned for the nearby future. Coolrec is constantly improving on this. Some appealing clear examples

1. Water use reduction as well decrease of contaminated water release 
2. Several hundred solar panels on main roofs at Coolrec Belgium 
3. Applying electrical forklifts saving CO2 emission and prevention of smog in operational inside areas 
4. Replacement of machines by ones with lower energy consumption 
5. Investment in wastewater treatment installation to further reduce the environmental impact of Coolrec Plastics 
6. LED lightning outside and inside buildings ...

Gold covenant

Coolrec has been a part of the ‘gold fair chain’ since 2017. The gold covenant aims to ensure that respect for human rights and environmental and biodiversity standards are central to all processes throughout the chain, from extraction to recycling. It’s a process which means Coolrec is helping protect the world from pollution, preserving finite resources and enabling customers to achieve their sustainability goals.

International Collaborations

We are member of national and international federations, such as Denuo, EERA, PRE and EuRIC. We have an active rol in these federations because we not only want to promote the recycling industry, but also because we strongly believe in protecting the environment, the health and safety of our employees, as well as representing the interest of our customers. On many occasions we have represented these federations on events, meetings and workshops organised by local, national and European authorities.

Business Continuity

Coolrec Group operates and is organized in such a way that the continuity of the service is not compromised, or that the effects thereof are kept to a minimum. We are fully focused on prevention for calamities, which you can see from our track record over the past years. However, we are always prepared when needed with a transparent and quick-to-implement emergency plan. Most important preventive actions are taken, like: a state of the art fire prevention and detection system, predictive and preventive maintenance, spare part management. A unique shredder pool-system within the Coolrec Group ensures very limited downtime when a shredder breaks down. Besides, we have alternative processing sites within the group in case a treatment line cannot be operated.

Fire detection and prevention

One of the most important prevention measures is all systems in place to detect a fire in the first phase. We invested in state of the art fire protection system over the last years. Our locations and installations are well equipped with heat and/or fire detection. Connected to this fire detection, there are also several fire extinguishing systems like sprinkler and nitrogen. These detection and extinguishing systems prevent serious damage to installations and buildings, so that production is not compromised.