Environmental Concerns Give Garbage Disposals New Life In Europe

February 28, 2008

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

InSinkErator, a unit of Emerson Electric, had virtually no sales in Europe in the early 1990s, where garbage disposals are often seen as a convenience that wastes water and clogs pipes – they’re even banned in Portugal, Austria and the Netherlands. But a new green strategy has helped InSinkErator to nearly double its world-wide sales in the past decade to close to $500 million annually, The Wall Street Journal reports.

With governments trying to reduce their environmental impact, the company spotted an opportunity. “We didn’t invent disposers to be an environmentally friendly solution” to waste problems, Joe Ferrara, director of European operations, says in the article. “But they do have all these positive impacts on the environment.”

Here’s the gist of the company’s green pitch. It says that when deployed en masse, say apartment complexes and new housing developments, disposals can help decrease truck pick ups for heavy food scraps. Perhaps more important, water treatment facilities must be able to produce methane from the material and convert it to an alternative source of energy.

In the U.S., where disposals are more common, the company isn’t pushing a green marketing angle.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

I think it’s fascinating that disposals are not seen as environmentally friendly in Europe. I always thought they were great at reducing garbage buildup. I own a hauling company and am always amazed at the amount of food people throw away. But I guess there are two sides to every coin!

Bryan Bell | November 25th, 2008

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader