Powering Smarter Waste Management: How ZeroMission Supports the Recycling Industry
By Liam Nolan, Delivery Manager
In an industry where efficiency, compliance, and sustainability are non-negotiable, waste management and recycling operators face unique operational challenges. Vehicle downtime, inefficient route planning, emissions reporting, and rising fuel costs can all undercut mission-critical services.
At ZeroMission, we’re proud to support the organisations tackling these challenges head-on, helping them modernise operations, cut emissions, and create cleaner, more responsive systems for collecting and processing waste.
Making Waste Smarter with ZeroMission
Our platform provides more than just vehicle tracking or energy monitoring. We offer waste and recycling fleets a unified operational intelligence platform, blending real-time telematics, charge management, and emissions visibility into one easy-to-use system.
Here’s how we help:
Dynamic route optimisation for collections across residential, commercial, and industrial sites, minimising wasted mileage and reducing emissions.
Emissions and fuel tracking for compliance with ESG goals and regulatory requirements.
Predictive maintenance alerts based on usage patterns and load data, keeping trucks on the road and reducing breakdowns.
Charge and energy optimisation for electric or hybrid vehicles, ensuring the right vehicles are deployed for the right tasks.
And perhaps most importantly, every customer is supported by a dedicated Delivery Services Manager who ensures your teams know how to use the platform effectively and that we’re always adapting to your changing needs.
CASE STUDY: Transforming Fleet Performance at a Environmental Company
Client: Environmental Company
Sector: Municipal and commercial waste collection & recycling
Fleet size: 86 vehicles (mixed diesel, hybrid and electric)
The Challenge
An Environmental, national recycling and waste service provider, was facing several key operational challenges:
High fuel costs and inefficient routing across dense urban areas.
Pressure from local authorities to reduce emissions and report on environmental impact.
Limited visibility over electric vehicle charge cycles and maintenance needs.
The ZeroMission Solution
ZeroMission deployed its Operate platform ‘Clarity’ across the entire fleet, creating a bird’s eye view for operational insights. The project began with a forensic fleet data review, identifying:
Under-utilised vehicles,
Overlapping routes,
Peak-hour inefficiencies.
Using our Digital Twin planning tools, we simulated route changes and charge patterns before making real-world adjustments. We also worked closely with their depot managers and operations team to deliver tailored training sessions, supported by their dedicated Delivery Services Manager.
The Results
• 18% reduction in overall fuel and energy costs in the first 6 months
• 24% decrease in daily vehicle idle time
• Weekly emissions reporting automated and standardised
• Rollout of 14 new electric collection vehicles, planned using real-world data simulations
Hearing It First-Hand
It’s always rewarding to hear the impact directly from our customers. As one of their Fleet Operations Manager said:
“ZeroMission’s platform has helped us become a data-driven organisation. For the first time, we can clearly see how our mixed fleet is performing, where we’re losing time or fuel, and how to make practical changes that save money and reduce our carbon footprint.”
Looking Ahead
Waste and recycling fleets are essential to our cities and our climate goals. They deserve tools that are as tough and responsive as the work they do. At ZeroMission, we’re committed to supporting the industry with smarter software, real-time insights, and a human touch.
If you’re operating in the waste sector and want to explore how we can help, reach out to our team. We’d love to show you what your future fleet could look like.
