Author Archives: Alexandra Martins

Lasso has just launched a new product – the Lasso Semi PE 1.5m³, a container with all the advantages of semi-underground ones, but in a new, smaller format, designed especially for biowaste and for situations with low production of urban waste.

Biowaste, due to its characteristics, cannot be stored for a long time, so the new format with a capacity of 1.5m³ is ideal for its collection. Furthermore, as the waste is stored underground, bad odors and the proliferation of bacteria are avoided. It is a container with great ease of access for the user and its additional advantages include its reduced visual impact and perfect implantation in the urban space.

The new Lasso Semi PE 1.5m³ is adaptable to intelligent access control systems for PAYT (Pay As You Throw) or SAYT (Save As You Throw) billing, and for monitoring filling levels.

This new equipment represents a new tool for municipalities to optimize their waste management, encouraging selective collection by citizens and taking a fundamental step towards building a greener and more sustainable future for the next generations.

The 179 Lasso Semi BT containers have just been installed in France, for the selective collection of waste within the scope of the SYMAT project, which collects waste from around 143,000 people in 118 municipalities in the Hautes-Pyrénées.

Installed in the region between Lourdes and Bagnères-de-Bigorre, these are 5m³ semi-underground containers, with a concrete well and Kinshofer extraction system. Recycling banks are mainly made up of three units: one for mixed waste, one for packaging and one for glass, the first of which are equipped with a double drum for 90 liters and have pre-installation of an intelligent system for access control, for PAYT charging system.

The new LASSO website is now online, with information on all the brand’s products for urban waste management, including the latest solutions for the selective collection of biowaste.

In this year when Lasso is celebrating the company’s 30th anniversary, the new website is another step towards improving communication with its customers, suppliers and partners. It is a modern site, easy to navigate, has a mobile version and is available in Portuguese, French and English, thinking about the international market, which has seen exponential growth in recent years.

Visit us at www.lasso.pt!

The review of waste legislation as part of the European Union (EU) circular economy strategy has introduced a series of targets and provisions that will boost both the prevention and sustainable management of bio-waste. With a share of 34%, bio-waste is the largest single component of municipal waste in the EU. Its recycling is crucial to achieving the European target of 65% of municipal waste reused by 2035.

To respond to this imperative, several municipalities have already implemented new Lasso solutions for the disposal of bio-waste, paving the way for a selective and efficient collection of this type of household waste. Porto, Oeiras, Ovar and Setúbal, in Portugal, as well as Wroclaw, Starogard and Bytów, in Poland, are some of the European municipalities that already have installed Lasso containers for the collection of bio-waste, giving priority to their advantages:

» available in a range of capacities, from 800 liters to 3,000 liters;

» minimal visual impact and less surface space occupied;

» less odors and less proliferation of bacteria, given the low temperatures in the subsoil;

» lower investment and operating cost, due to the speed in the collection operation of this type of systems.

The versatility and variety of Lasso solutions for bio-waste makes it possible to select the one that best suits the needs of each municipality or each community. They can also be equipped with intelligent systems for access control and monitoring of filling levels that, in addition to optimizing the operation and reducing costs, also help municipalities to implement policies to encourage recycling and separation of waste at source.

The Municipality of Ovar continues its commitment to the collection of urban waste with Lasso full-underground waste container solutions. In the last two years, 61 Green Bee full-underground containers were installed in Ovar for the collection of selective and mixed waste and, in 2022, the installation of another 16 containers is planned.

Following this change to full-underground container solutions, and as part of an application to the POSEUR – Operational Program for Sustainability and Efficiency in the Use of Resources, the Municipality of Ovar will also install 30 more Green Bee underground containers in the city, this time for collection of biowaste, totaling a storage space of more than 90,000 liters, reflecting the strategic option for the recovery of this type of waste. The new Green Bee full-underground containers for biowaste in Ovar will be installed with an intelligent access control system – the Redin system -, which allows the municipality to have data on the use of the container and adopt new pricing systems or implement waste separation incentive systems by citizens. The objective is to increase the rate of separation of waste for recycling at source, reaching goals that lead to an increase in the value of waste, towards a circular economy.

Lasso Eco Innovation is a brand with a strong commitment to the environment. And its mission is not limited to the fact of manufacturing and marketing products that contribute to reducing environmental pollution and consolidating the sustainability policy of the municipalities.

Indeed, since the beginning of its activity, in 1992, it has been a fundamental concern of Lasso to minimize the impact of its activity on the environment, which has led the company to adopt practices aimed at optimizing the consumption of natural resources and preventing environmental pollution. For this reason, the company pursues a strategy based on principles of quality and environmental preservation, adopting a company culture that is experienced daily by all its employees.

The environmental policy implemented by Lasso Eco Innovation is based on a set of fundamental principles, including the certification of its Integrated Quality and Environment Management System in accordance with the normative references ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015, subject to a constant review of efficiency and effectiveness, as well as compliance with statutory requirements of environmental legislation, applicable general legislation and good business practices relevant to the company’s activity. The awareness of employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners about the importance of preserving the environment is also part of these principles, as well as the entire reorganization of processes with a view to the rational use of raw materials and natural resources, and the reuse and recycling of waste arising from the activity.

On this last point, it is important to point out that, in terms of energy consumption, Lasso recorded in the last year an 8% reduction of the network energy consumption under its activity function. This reduction was possible given the increased use of renewable energies by the company, namely photovoltaic energy, which gives the company an energy autonomy rate of around 32% (through the photovoltaic panels installed by the company in 2017).

This year, Lasso will further reinforce the use of renewable energies, through an additional investment with the aim of doubling the photovoltaic production capacity.

Furthermore, the company has increased its fleet of electric vehicles, which also contributes to a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels and, consequently, to minimize the ecological footprint of Lasso and its products. Currently, it can be said that more than 70% of the energy consumed by its activity comes from renewable energies. Regarding the consumption of natural resources and the use of plastic, Lasso has dedicated part of its investment in R&D to the development of products that include the use of recycled and recyclable materials in their production. This is the case of containers with “Wood Imitation” finishing, a coating made from 100% recycled plastic material, or new big and small lids, made with recyclable plastic. “We have always been committed to the preservation of natural resources and sustainability and, with our environmental policy and the development of products that respect the environment, we are moving towards our “zero carbon” objective and contributing to the development of a circular and sustainable economy”, says Pedro Martins da Costa, Lasso Eco Innovation’s CEO.

Several Portuguese municipalities have already implemented Lasso’s new solutions for the disposal of biodegradable waste (organic waste), paving the way for the mandatory selective collection of this type of domestic waste from 2024. Porto, Oeiras and Ovar are the Portuguese municipalities that have already installed Lasso containers for the collection of biodegradable waste, favouring the advantages presented by full-underground and semi-underground containers.

Remember that the General Waste Management Regime (GWMR) defines the segregation at the origin of organic waste from restaurants and industrial activities until December 31, 2022, in the case of entities that produce more than 25 t/year of biodegradable waste, and up to December 31, 2023, in the remaining cases. In the case of entities responsible for municipal urban waste management systems, the GWMR determines that the operationalization of the selective collection of organic waste is carried out by December 31, 2023.

In order to respond to these directives, entities must guarantee the selective collection of this waste, ensuring the existence of easily accessible collection points in the community. In order to support municipalities and waste management companies to fulfil these objectives, Lasso Eco Innovation has developed specific solutions for the collection of organic waste, which have advantages over the door-to-door collection system.

Through full-underground and semi-underground containers adapted to this type of waste, Lasso helps to encourage residents to segregate organic waste at the origin, ensure the sanitation and health of the public space, reduce landfill deposition, and increase the value of resources, promoting, at the same time, the principles of the circular economy, for a more sustainable future.

Lasso full-underground containers for organic waste are presented with three column solutions – the Blue Bee, the Green Bee and the Red Bee. All are characterized by their modern design and aesthetics and perfect integration with the environment, robustness, durability and low maintenance. Lasso’s containers are designed for intensive use, even in extreme environments, and to ensure a long service life. Also for semi-underground containers, surface space occupation and visual impact are reduced, as only 1/3 of the container is above the ground.

In both cases, the organic waste is stored below ground in a dedicated well, with the advantage that the lower underground temperatures contribute to slow down the growth of bacteria, eliminating bad odors. The organic waste is collected underground, with three possible solutions: in a watertight overturning container, with a capacity of up to 1100 liters and a lifting platform with two hydraulic cylinders; in a sealed MasterbagTM bag; or in a rigid tank with bottom discharge. It should also be noted that all available landmarks are compatible with an access control system and a filling monitoring probe, intelligent systems for urban waste management that allow the implementation of PAYT billing systems and the optimization of the collection process.

The Green Bee full-underground container with incorporated pedal has been registering the preference of Lasso’s customers in the national and internacional markets, as is the case of modern residential developments, such as Acquadalva Residence (in the photo), in the city of Porto, in the north of Portugal.

Its large capacity, design, ergonomics, ease of access and adaptation to the new intelligent access control systems are some of the characteristics that distinguish these waste collection equipment from Lasso Eco Innovation.

Between May 30 and June 3, Lasso Eco Innovation was present at IFAT 2022, the world’s leading event for the sector of environmental technologies and services, to present its world class solutions for urban waste collection. At IFAT, Lasso’s semi-underground and full-underground containers have generated enormous interest from customers from several countries in Northern Europe, but also from Morocco, Israel, Cyprus, France and Italy, among others.

It was a very positive balance for Lasso Eco Innovation, during its presence in this event in Munich. Pedro Martins da Costa, Lasso’s CEO, said: “It was an opportunity to meet old customers and also receive companies and municipalities from countries like the USA, Finland, Israel, Belgium and many others, which represents international recognition for our innovative solutions and equipment for urban waste collection”.