Galloo Recycling Receives End-of-Waste Certificate

Following a recent audit, the Galloo Recycling Group, based in France, has announced that it is the first company in either Belgium or France to be entitled to use the End-of-Waste certification. The certification means the group can handle and transport certain secondary raw materials as genuine products in their own right, and, therefore, no longer as waste.

In 2008, the European Union drafted a directive aimed at encouraging research into the best ways of processing waste. In 2011, an EU Regulation was drawn up, based on the directive, setting out specific criteria for End-of-Waste certification. The certification is part of an EU initiative aimed at strengthening confidence in the quality of secondary raw materials, which, in turn, will help reduce the rate at which natural sources of these materials are consumed.

A recent audit, conducted by Bureau Veritas, has recognized the Galloo Recycling Group’s efforts to maximize its recycling efforts. From now on the Galloo Recycling Group may use the name End-of-Waste for three secondary raw materials that the company recovers: pure shredded iron scrap; sorted and dried aluminum; and sorted stainless steel.

“The EU Regulation only establishes criteria for these three metals,” says Pierre Vandeputte, CEO of the Galloo Recycling Group. “They are currently working on a standard for copper, a benchmark that we will also comply with, when it comes into force. At Group Galloo we have always tried to avoid being seen as a waste-processing company. We supply secondary raw materials, which are genuine products in their own right. This is our contribution towards a cleaner environment.”

To use the certificate, the Galloo Group has to guarantee the traceability of the scrap metal it receives. Samples are taken at regular intervals to check the quality of the products. Galloo Recycling also needs to present all the right documentation during handling and transport, and all the products the company handles will have to be recorded in a materials register.