4
separate waste fractions
Rest/Paper/Plastics/
Cardboard
- Location
- Bergen, Norway
- Client
- BIR
- Segment
- Cities
- Launch
- 2015
The brief
A demonstration of Envac’s innovative solution nearly two decades ago proved to be perfect for Bergen, which is keen to preserve its historical integrity. Reducing fire risk by installing a sealed waste system also helps Bergen become an international example of sustainability.
After a presentation for BIR, which showed how waste collection would play a key role in shaping the urban environment rather than merely moving waste from point A to point B, Envac designed a system capable of handling 55 tons of waste per week using air, without the need for collection staff or refuse trucks on the streets.
1,200
waste inlets
conveniently located across the city for easy disposal
7,500
meters pipe network
for underground transport of waste from buildings to collection terminal
30,000
connected
households plus businesses
Immediate effects of the Envac system
From an interview with the City of Bergen, Kolbjorn Akervold, Special advisor
The project
Working closely with BIR, Envac was able to install the first phase of the system in 2007 and is currently extending the system in 2022. On the development’s full completion, Envac’s pneumatic waste collection system will automatically collect the waste of up to 30,000 apartments multiple times each day.
The City of Bergen has already won the National Energy Globe Award 2018 for its decision to install Envac, and more recently, the International Project of the Year Award at the World Congress on Municipal Engineering in Kansas, USA.
The three-phase development, of which Envac has been involved in the only two carried out to date, is set to continue over the coming years. Another collection station was built in 2021 and in operation 2022.
The result
By using Envac, the city of Bergen has:
- Enabled the protection and preservation of a vital part of its cultural heritage by stopping further wear and tear on its historic streets, caused by waste trucks that are too large to navigate Bergen’s old and narrow roads effectively.
- Eliminated the risk of waste-related fires and burning rubbish – both of which would be catastrophic for Bergen’s timber buildings – by installing a sealed system where fire and the risk of fire spreading are no longer possible.
- Reduced insurance premiums as a direct result of implementing a closed waste collection system that prevents waste-related fires.
- Future-proofed its infrastructure by installing a system that will remain operational for decades and reinforces Norway’s commitment to the environment.
- Become the first city to make Envac’s cardboard shredder inlets available to the public by placing them in public spaces.
Nygardstangen – Bergen’s second waste collection station
In the media
Cities London, UK
Wembley Park, London
The UK’s first pneumatic waste collection system, saving space and boosting recycling rates. Seamlessly integrated into Wembley Park’s vibrant urban landscape, it enhances public spaces, supports sustainability goals, and sets a new benchmark for modern city living.
Cities Jersey City, NJ
Summit Plaza Apartments
Summit Plaza, situated in Jersey City, stands as New Jersey’s largest privately-owned Section 8 housing complex, accommodating over 1,200 individuals. This includes vulnerable populations such as long-term residents, elderly and disabled individuals, and families with more than five members, as defined by HUD. The Envac automated waste removal system was installed in 1972, and is still running strong today, effortlessly removing residential waste, over fifty years later.
Cities Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm Royal Seaport
Envac was selected as waste collection technology partner in order to share the skills, knowledge and expertise gained through being a part of one of Stockholm’s most high-profile developments to date, Stockholm Royal Seaport – Sweden’s blueprint for sustainable development.