Our impact on the environment

Voka Charter Sustainable Business

In 2023 and 2024 we were awarded the Voka Charter for Sustainable Business. We follow a custom-designed action plan to improve corporate social responsibility - business operations that are profitable for your company and for people and the environment as well. We have delivered a range of actions linked to the UN's seventeen Sustainable Development Goals.

Read our sustainability report

The sustainable thirst quencher

Conserving natural resources
Plastic bottles are made from crude oil, and glass bottles consume materials like lime, soda and sand. Sand in particular is in danger of becoming a scarce resource, due to over-exploitation. Conclusion: drinking tap water limits the extraction of certain (rare) resources.
Lower energy consumption and carbon emissions
Extraction, production, distribution, transportation and disposal of materials for water bottles consumes a lot of energy, leading to significant carbon emissions. Conclusion: Drinking tap water reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions. It is an important tool in our fight against global warming.
Avoids ocean pollution
Plastic water bottles might end up in the "plastic soup" in the oceans. This waste accumulates as a soupy mess of plastic, breaking down into microplastics and poisoning marine animals. Conclusion: Drinking tap water helps to reduce microplastics and protects marine life.
Reducing transportation on our roads
Transportation of water bottles (from the manufacturer to the distribution centre, retailer, consumer and finally to the disposal company) clogs up our roads and increases carbon emissions. Conclusion: drinking tap water reduces transportation on our overcrowded roads.

Our sustainable actions

Step by step towards a green future

Sustainable product, sustainable production, sustainable use. AQUALEX strives to improve its sustainability in production, with a longer lifespan and appliances, taps and materials with improved recyclability.

Design for disassembly

New appliances should be easy to disassemble. This means you can replace parts faster, repair components and keep the device in use for longer. If only the machine is faulty, we keep the casing and tap and install a new machine.

Moving towards a circular model

In the B2B market AQUALEX uses the rental model. This way we retain full responsibility throughout the life cycle of every unit. Old appliances are taken back, components are replaced or repaired, and both appliances and components get a second, third or even fourth life.

Metal table top model

Metal lasts longer than plastic, increasing the longevity of our appliances. It is also easier to recycle, causes fewer carbon emissions and is easier for technicians to repair.

The ultimate sustainable product

Made from recycled flax waste or plastic waste.

The ultimate sustainable product? An appliance built from waste that is completely reused at the end of its life cycle. Meet the AQUALEX Circulo, a free-standing water cooler that is partly made from recycled flax waste or plastic waste. This drinking water system is rented so that AQUALEX can take it back at the end and reuse it. The casing, for example, can be shredded and then repurposed to make a new one.

Discover Circulo

Local production

We try to keep production of our systems as local as possible. This allows us to reduce the amount of transportation and create jobs in our own region. To do this, we partner with WAAK, a social enterprise that is known for its expertise and commitment to inclusiveness and sustainability.

From copper to stainless steel

The water collection tray contains copper to prevent bacterial growth. However, copper is a scarce commodity. This is why the R&D team is developing alternatives made from more sustainable stainless steel, while of course retaining the excellent hygienic qualities of copper.

Using environmentally friendly refrigerant gas

Our new units use a refrigerant gas that is non-toxic and does not harm the ozone layer.

European Drinking Water Directive

Switching from bottled water to tap water is one of the simplest and most impactful interventions to protect our planet and combat global warming. That is why the EU is fully committed to promoting tap water, as shown by the renewed European Drinking Water Directive issued on 16 December 2020. This encourages European member states to promote the use of tap water and install public drinking water taps both indoors and outdoors.

Flanders is also fully committed to tap water. In cooperation with De Watergroep and Farys, AQUALEX has already installed hundreds of drinking water systems in public spaces. For this purpose the ALASQ outdoor water tap was developed. It supplies fresh water for public use in parks, city squares, stations and along walking or cycling routes. A valuable step towards using more tap water in everyday life!

Discover ALASQ Muro Discover ALASQ