Our story

We listen, we innovate, we deliver

For nearly a century, we’ve led the way in providing solutions that 
change the way in which society deals with waste.

From introducing the wheelie bin to the UK, to opening the world’s 
most advanced aerosol recycling facility, we continue to lead from the front.

1929

Stephen Grundon and his father purchase their first internal combustion vehicle – a Pierce Arrow.

Grundon help with the construction of Battersea Power Station, hauling earth from the footing to the River Thames and providing aggregates for the construction.

Over the next 40 years, Grundon focuses on excavation, demolition, haulage, and aggregates.

1960s

Grundon expands into waste collection and disposal

1979

Grundon undertakes a worldwide survey of waste collection and disposal techniques throughout Europe and North America and bring the Front End Loader vehicle to the UK

1982

Grundon introduce the wheeled trade waste system (or wheelie bin) – now used throughout the UK – for trade and household waste collection

1990

Grundon builds the UK’s first environmentally acceptable clinical waste incinerator

1996

Grundon commissions the latest state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility, capable of handling 100,000 tonnes of recyclables a year

2005

Haz-Box service launches, ideal for disposing of small amounts of hazardous wastes including batteries, aerosols and small tins of paint

2010

Lakeside Energy from Waste plant commences operation

2014

Grundon opens a purpose-built plant for the treatment and recovery of road sweeper waste, capable of processing around 25,000 tonnes of road sweepings a year

Grundon becomes the first of the UK’s major waste industry players to go CarbonNeutral® across our entire road-going vehicle fleet

2016

£3 million state-of-the-art aerosol recycling facility opens – the world’s most advanced closed loop aerosol recycling system

2018

Grundon launch the commercial waste industry’s first ultra-low emission hydrogen diesel dual-fuel waste collection vehicle
We launched a Paper Cup Recycling service, aimed at helping to tackle the ‘mountain’ of 2.5 billion cups consumed annually in the UK

2020

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grundon launched specialist services to support organisations, notably the disposal of test materials and deep cleaning programmes

2021

Grundon introduced an Artificial Intelligence robotic picker at its Materials Recovery Facility in Bishop’s Cleeve, to help improve the sorting and recovery of plastic waste

2023

Grundon’s first electric waste collection vehicle hits the road, and it’s powered by the waste we collect

Grundon launches first UK-wide inhaler recycling scheme to help the NHS cut carbon emissions

2024

Grundon awarded ‘We invest in wellbeing’ accreditation, underscoring the company’s commitment to employee wellbeing

2025

Grundon launches ‘RecyclePlus’ service to help tackle difficult to recycle items