Environment

Parkeon strives to actively help preserve the environment

PARKEON has applied eco-design principles on its parking and transport products

 

In the 21st century, environment protection has become a major concern for citizens and industry alike.

For over 15 years, Parkeon has been applying an ambitious environment protection policy by significantly reducing the impact of its business on health and environment and by making all its employees aware of its commitments in the area.

As a precursor in the addressing of environmental concerns, Parkeon has been using an ecodesign approach for its products for many years now, with the key objective of minimising the environmental impact of products throughout their life.

 

What does eco-design means for Parkeon?

Along with the R&D teams, an eco-design engineer is involved very early in product development, in order to reduce the environmental impact of products in the course of their life cycle.

Parkeon products are designed to meet the following criteria: Restriction of hazardous substances   Choice of the materials used in the design process Priority for solar power Lower electricity consumption during the life of the product Modular and easily removable subassemblies to make dismantling easier before disposal Optimum recycling rate Parkeon believes that to reduce environmental impact, new technologies will evolve and no longer use printed tickets. Parkeon products increasingly integrate payment technologies that rely on contactless cards, mobile phones and the Internet.

Eco-design is a preventive approach aimed at reducing the environmental impact of a product from the time it is designed (or redesigned). That overall approach is characterised by the fact that it takes account of the total life of the product from the extraction of the materials that go into it up to disposal, and all the associated environmental aspects (consumption of raw materials, water, energy, emissions into the air, water, soil etc.)

 

Solar power expertise: a unique global capability

Parkeon has blazed a trail in this field, by designing solar-powered terminals as early as in 1995.

Today, more than 120,000 Pay & Display machines installed across the world use that renewable energy source. The benefits of solar power are many: Great operating independence Reduced installation and maintenance costs (no need for street works to connect the terminals to the mains, for instance) Reduced environmental impact because of the nature of the power source and absence of road works

Parkeon Pay & Display machines have low power requirements. A few hours' exposure to light are enough for recharging the battery of the device and allowing operation, even when the weather is not fair. The batteries of the device are rechargeable and have a life of approximately three years. For most customers, solar power is a natural and environmentally responsible choice.

 

Parking and Transport product recycling to preserve resources

Great efforts are made by the company to comply with all the requirements of European Directives in the areas of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE Directive) and the reduction of hazardous substances in the equipment (ROHS Directive).

While the objectives under the WEEE Directive specify minimum reuse and recycling and recovery targets of 75% and 80% respectively, Parkeon Pay & Display machines achieve targets ranging from 95 to 97%.

Parkeon has also developed a modelling tool called AICOREC that makes it possible to evaluate the actual recycling rate of each product depending on the various treatment scenarios or technical options in order to improve its design.

What happens to Pay & Display machines and other terminals at the end of their life?

As a manufacturer, Parkeon is responsible for recovering and recycling its products installed after 13 August 2005 (as required by the WEEE Directive).

Parkeon has selected contractors with local waste collection and treatment networks.

At the end of the life of the product, cells and batteries are disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations. The service is provided by Parkeon or taken care of by the customer (end owner) depending on the terms of the agreement between the two parties.

Environmental standards

The main manufacturing facility in Besançon, France, has ISO 14001 certification.

That standard provides the requirements for environmental management systems. In the UK, Parkeon is working actively with the Carbon Trust to evaluate and reduce the carbon footprint of its facility in Poole.

Three sites in France have OHSAS 18001 certification (Le Barjac - Paris, Besançon and Chatillon).

That standard provides the requirements for occupational health & safety systems

The objectives are many:

• Reducing the consumption of water and electricity in the Besançon manufacturing facility.
• Waste sorting
• Reinforced control of electrical hazards
• Improved safety in worksites, etc.

More information on this topic is available in our  Environment Brochure.

For more information,