Riverridge Recognised For Waste Management And Environmental Excellence

WASTE and resource management company, RiverRidge is celebrating after being recognised for its outstanding waste management and environmental processes at the recent Plant and Civil Engineer Awards.

The company was presented with the coveted Waste Management and Environmental Excellence award for the second consecutive year, during a glittering ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast.

The Waste Management and Environmental Excellence Award recognises individual excellence within the resources and waste management industry, through best practice and innovation across a range of commercial and public sectors.

Organised by the Hillsborough based publishers of Plant and Civil Engineer, 4SM (NI) Ltd, the awards ceremony was attended by hundreds of guests and leading figures from the plant, construction and quarry industries, and is renowned for being Ireland’s premier platform of recognition for those operating across all sectors of the industry.

Recognising RiverRidge’s exceptional dedication to sustainability in waste management, the judges said, “RiverRidge is a clear winner of this category, showcasing an unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation in waste management.

“Their strategic vision, as evidenced by the 'Rethinking our Future' Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, outlines ambitious goals and key performance indicators such as cutting carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and transitioning 75% of their fleet to renewable power.”

The judges also pointed to RiverRidge’s innovation in developing their waste-to-energy facility and use of biomethane gas as renewable energy. “The company's groundbreaking approach extends to developing a waste-to-energy facility, a biomethane extraction plant, and a 500KWe biomethane gas engine, demonstrating leadership in renewable energy adoption and emissions reduction.”

Also discussed were RiverRidge’s many environmental protection practices, such as beehives and wildflower planting.

The judges added, “RiverRidge's dedication to environmental protection is further underscored by their pledge to eliminate the landfilling of biodegradable waste by 2028 and their proactive measures, including the implementation of green energy and biodiversity practices such as solar-powered pumps, beehives, and wildflower planting.

“Their comprehensive approach, transparency in waste management processes, and ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability makes RiverRidge a standout candidate for recognition in Wastes Management and Environmental Excellence.”

Commenting on the company’s achievement, CEO of RiverRidge, Brett Ross said, “We are delighted to have won the Waste Management and Environmental Excellence award for the second consecutive year. This recognition highlights our dedication and commitment to always ensuring the highest of standards in waste management, and our awareness of the impact of our work on the environment. 

“As a waste management company, we have always strived to be at the forefront of change and innovation. For us, waste is a valuable resource, and we are committed to ensuring we have the resources to anticipate our customers’ needs before they do. This enables us to provide a wide number of sustainable and end-to-end in-house solutions for organisations.

“In the last eighteen months our team has shown innovation by becoming the first waste company in Northern Ireland to launch a formal Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, entitled ‘Rethinking our Future’, and we will shortly be publishing our inaugural ESG report on what we have achieved so far.

“The strategy builds on our vision to treat waste as a valuable resource to ensure a positive outcome for our planet and our communities, and forms the basis for a longer-term sustainability strategy. We are very proud of our whole team at RiverRidge and this award acknowledges everyone’s hard work.”