Did you know that Partenon efficiently manages textile waste? Our commitment to recycling goes beyond the collection and treatment of fabrics generated internally; it also includes the management of uniforms supplied to our customers when they reach the end of their life cycle. If you’re interested in the topic, keep reading. Throughout this article, we provide all the details about this initiative, including the figures achieved in 2023.
Let’s get started!
Partenon, committed to resource and waste management
At Partenon, we are committed to protecting and conserving the planet. For this reason, we have implemented various actions aimed at reducing the environmental impact of our business activities. In fact, we are certified in ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, which not only confirms that we have an effective system for managing resources and waste but also ensures compliance with all legal requirements and additional commitments. Our goal is to minimize the pollution derived from our activities as much as possible.
So, how do we handle the waste generated? In our facilities, we take care of separating and storing it until it is delivered to authorized waste managers or product suppliers if it involves hazardous waste (batteries, fluorescent lamps, etc.). Of course, we supervise every detail, ensuring that these deliveries are made correctly, within the established timeframes, and in accordance with the good environmental practices that we promote both internally and with our partners (workshops, maintenance companies, etc.).
Partenon and Insertega, an agreement for textile waste management
As we have seen, at Partenon, we handle the waste generated by our operations and work with different authorized waste managers to ensure proper treatment. For textile waste, we have been collaborating with Insertega for over a year. They are responsible for its classification, and a large portion (over 93%) can be reused for various purposes, thus promoting the circular economy.
What is Insertega, what do they do, and what are their objectives?
Insertega (Iniciativa Social Emprendedora de Reciclaje Textil de Galicia) is the first Galician company dedicated exclusively to the management of textile waste. Their goals? To raise awareness and social responsibility by implementing the 3Rs: reducing the use of natural resources, reusing clothing that is in good condition, and recycling it to minimize its environmental impact.
Police uniforms, what to do with them when they reach the end of their useful life?
Police uniforms should not be disposed of in traditional containers, as they are official garments that bear the organization’s emblems. So, what to do with them? This is a real problem: when an officer changes their uniform or the entire force updates its uniform, they face the challenge of disposing of thousands of garments that cannot be thrown away as conventional waste.
Aware of this situation, at Partenon, we have implemented a specialized after-sales service for managing police clothing at the end of its useful life. When a customer requests it, or we know they are going to renew their equipment, we provide special containers for a few days. Thus, when they collect the new uniform, they can deposit the old one in the appropriate place.
And after that? Once completed, they notify us, and we take care of collecting it from the headquarters and delivering it to Insertega. Thanks to this initiative, we not only directly support our customers but also actively contribute to society through recycling and sustainability.
The impact of our resource and waste management in numbers
By the end of 2023, a total of 7,665.40 kilos of textile waste had been managed. According to data from the European Commission, this has helped prevent the emission of 24.29 tons of greenhouse gases (CO2). These figures leave no doubt: the reuse and recycling of fabrics play a crucial role in protecting the environment and mitigating climate change. Therefore, at Partenon, we will continue striving to implement sustainable practices and collaborate with our partners to maximize the positive impact on our environment.
What did you think of this post about resource and waste management at Partenon? We hope you found it interesting. As you can see, we are committed to caring for the planet, implementing all kinds of actions aimed at minimizing the pollutants from our business activities.
