Envac is the global leader in the automated waste collection industry, committed to creating smarter and more sustainable cities. Our advanced systems facilitate efficient resource recovery, significantly reducing heavy traffic and emissions by up to 90%. This transformation leads to quieter streets and cleaner, safer waste disposal procedures for users. Since the early 1960s, Envac has pioneered the development of pneumatic waste collection systems, which are now widely utilised in urban centres, residential neighbourhoods, hospitals, and airports around the world. Our technology is designed to integrate seamlessly into urban infrastructure, operating as reliably as electricity, water, and sewage systems. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Envac operates 35 offices across 20 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America, reinforcing our commitment to advancing sustainable urban living.
Naznoush Habashian
Chief Sustainability Officer, Envac Group
The challenges of waste management extend beyond aesthetics, significantly impacting public health, the environment, and municipal finances. At the same time, inefficient waste collection methods contribute to urban congestion, increasing CO₂ emissions and air pollution, while open dumping and burning intensify climate change by releasing harmful pollutants. As municipalities face rising waste management costs driven by growing populations, traditional methods prove inadequate and increasingly expensive.
With over a century of experience in automated waste collection systems and over 1,200 installations across six continents, Envac is uniquely positioned to respond. Our belief is simple: when waste collection is automated, sealed, and intelligently integrated, it becomes a public health ally, not a hazard.
Stockholm Royal Seaport: A blueprint for the future
One of Europe’s most ambitious sustainable development districts, Stockholm Royal Seaport in Sweden, offers a compelling model. By 2030, it will encompass 12,000 homes and 35,000 workplaces, all served by Envac’s pneumatic waste collection system and digital engagement platform ReFlow.
Key outcomes include:
- 90% reduction in heavy waste collection vehicle traffic, improving air quality, road safety, and public space usability.
- Continuous, sealed waste disposal, with no need for manual bin collection, is transforming health and hygiene norms in neighbourhoods.
- ReFlow, a pioneering digital tool, allows residents to track sorting accuracy, report maintenance issues, and learn.
- Users report 61% increased knowledge of sorting practices; 67% changed behaviours to recycle or reduce waste.
- Waste composition analyses show a 19% reduction in incorrectly sorted packaging/newspapers; incorrectly sorted food waste in the plastic fraction was reduced from 0.03 kg to 0.01 kg per household/week; correctly sorted plastic packaging increased by 10%.
This case demonstrates how combining technology, infrastructure, and citizen engagement can materially reduce waste, encourage behaviour change, and improve public health.
A Global Proof-Point: Bergen, Norway and Seoul, South Korea
Bergen’s adoption of pipe-based collection in historical areas protected cultural heritage from fire hazards, reduced manual handling, and improved cleanliness. The city gained international attention, becoming a global trailblazer for modern, hygienic urban waste infrastructure.
In Seoul, South Korea, Envac’s technology complements government policies such as the Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT), where residents pay for the waste they produce. This has reduced household waste, lifted recycling rates, and shifted behaviours towards circularity, proving that when technology meets policy, results follow.
Healthcare Settings: From Risk to Safe Routine
Envac’s systems, installed in over 180 healthcare facilities across 25 countries, show that closed, touchless collection systems:
- Reduce manual contacts significantly, preventing pathogen spread.
- Improve infection control in corridors and wards.
- Produce measurable reductions in microbial contamination vs traditional bin systems (proven with external studies).
- Simplify workflows and reduce staff exposure to risk.
The Way Forward: A Collective Call to Action
The world urgently requires the swift implementation of infrastructure capable of managing increasing waste volumes while prioritising public health and fostering circular economies. Envac’s global perspective rises to this challenge, backed by six decades of extensive experience. Throughout this time, we have collaborated with municipalities, hospitals, real estate developers, and other key stakeholders to create innovative solutions that address these pressing needs.
| Unmanaged waste & manual handling | Envac’s automated, smart solution |
| Overflows, disease risk, and labour distress | Sealed pipe systems, enclosed flow, zero bin handling |
| Manual truck dependence, emissions, and noise | 90% less heavy vehicle traffic, waste collected in a central location |
| Poor recycling, high contamination | High-accuracy sorting + digital feedback |
| Burden on healthcare operations | Touchless, hygienic systems evidently reduce infections. |
Envac stands ready to partner with cities, healthcare systems, and developers to build a future where waste is no longer a hazard, but a resource managed smartly, safely, and sustainably.
