Highlights
- Initiative to take 1.4million empty plastic bottles from the NHS, which are used to fill and circulate hand sanitiser throughout Scotland. Collection boxes at each site mean they can keep them in circulation as part of the Redeem Exchange initiative.
- For one Scottish health board they reduced their carbon footprint from 69.4 tonnes to 6.7 tonnes, with a cost
saving of £56K under the Redeem Exchange reuse initiative – over 90% savings. - Since January and as of April 2022, they have stopped over 1.5 tonnes of plastic bottles going to landfill, and by the end of the year, this number will be more in the region of 8 tonnes.
Trade Right International - Redeem Exchange, based in Greenock reduce plastic waste going to landfill through a simple collect, wash, refill, and return service for plastic hand sanitiser bottles. By introducing a circular economy approach, they can extend the life cycle of plastic bottles by up to 50 times.
Trade Right International – Redeem Exchange were commended in the Product or Service Scotland category. They have developed a service to reduce the need for plastic bottles through a reuse system, keeping the same bottle in circulation by washing and refilling them. A bottle is assigned a unique QR code with specific data relating to that bottle which enables tracking information.
The Product/Service Scotland Award recognises businesses that have developed, or are developing, a product or service which delivers environmental benefits.
Trade Right International - Redeem Exchange are classified as a “supported business” with over 80% of the workforce deemed to be either disabled or disadvantaged. They have an employability programme built into the work supporting individuals in deprivation, with offending backgrounds, in recovery, with disabilities and long term unemployed, offering a safe learning environment to develop skills and confidence. Trade Right International - Redeem Exchange have supported three employees to engage in Apprenticeship programmes to validate their skills and supported 82 people from the local prison service since 2011 to begin to re-enter society and gain employability skills. Redeem Exchange understand the person's needs and provide respect and opportunity.
The judges felt Redeem Exchange was a great example of problem solving.
“We are excited, proud, and humbled to receive this year’s Vibes commended award for Product or Service Scotland. This is a triumph of a small social enterprise dreaming big dreams. Our team have worked tirelessly to launch, develop, and build the Redeem Exchange initiative and are grateful to an army of people, supporters, and businesses who have made this all possible.” Trev Gregory, CEO