Not all heroes wear capes: ASH Waste showcases the unsung superheroes helping to save the planet

Originally Alan’s Skip Hire (ASH), ASH Waste Services has taken the legacy of its initial founder and built on this success for almost 40 years. Officially established in the mid 00s by Alan’s son Neil Hassall and daughter-in-law, Zoe Hassall, the business has since expanded exponentially, adding to its Wrexham headquarters with sites now in Widnes, , Barnsley, Birmingham, and as of April last year, Bristol. In early 2026, a Nottingham location was also opened to better serve customers across the East Midlands. The business offers a broad array of different services, including total waste management, food waste management, skip hire, and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) disposal.

Today, ASH Waste Services is a core component of the wider ASH Group which oversees 150 vehicles and is made up of more than 400 people. The Group itself consists of several different subsidiaries:

• ASH Waste Services
• Alan’s Skip Hire
• ASH Metal Recycling
• Nationwide Waste Services
• ASH Aggregates
• My Yardspace

ASH Waste Services is by far the largest of this diverse range of enterprises, serving upwards of 19,000 customers all over the country. The company’s growing fleet is equally diverse, consisting of everything from refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) to skips to Toploaders, and more. This fleet is ever-evolving too, with a steady stream of new vehicles introduced every year. In fact, 16 new RCVs will be joining the fleet in 2026 with a further 14 already on order for delivery in 2027, all of which contain Dennis Eagle Olympus bodies.

“We have a great deal of trust in the Dennis Eagle Olympus range which has served us well as we have expanded our service offering over recent years,” said Andrew Hulme, Company Director at ASH Waste Services. “Their Twin Pack split bodies are particularly advantageous in helping us collect multiple waste streams in one go, a massive improvement when it comes to efficiency. We also regularly choose either the business’ Terberg or Beta bin lifts, as well as their weighing systems, to support our expansive range of refuse services.”

A ‘super’ idea

Keen to celebrate the admirable and often underappreciated efforts of waste collection crews around the country, as well as their own, ASH Waste Services recently spotted an opportunity to spread the word about these unsung heroes using their trucks. Dubbed ‘Waste Superheroes’, two RCVs have been out on the road for several weeks to help educate local residents about the essential role their collection drivers and crews play in protecting the environment.

“RCV drivers and crews don’t get enough recognition for the challenging work they do day in, day out,” said Andrew. “By raising awareness of this vital contribution to our communities, we’re helping to educate our friends and neighbours about the importance of good waste management, and the impact disposal has on the environment. A superhero theme felt particularly fitting, as these incredible people really are helping to save our planet, one bin at a time.”

Comprised of a Volvo FH chassis, a Dennis Eagle Olympus23 body, and a Beta bin lift, the RCVs are both wrapped with vibrant and distinctive graphics provided by Wyke Signs and Graphics. The graphics depict comic book style superheroes to help inspire residents to do better by their waste and encourage correct disposal, particularly in line with the company’s ambitions to divert as much waste away from landfill as possible. The two trucks have now taken up residence in the Northwest of England.

Making Simpler Recycling a superpower

It almost goes without saying that transforming waste collections across the UK in line with England’s new Simpler Recycling legislation and Wales’ Workplace Recycling regulations has proven a challenge. That said, ASH Waste Services has resolved to do everything it can to help support this transition, offering important guidance about the changes and their impact on local communities. The company provides clear and comprehensive resources to better explain what the legislation is introducing, clarifying exactly what waste needs to go into each bin.

“Consistency is key when it comes to implementing Simpler Recycling and Wales Workplace Regulations,” said Andrew. “We want to try and avoid cross contamination of waste streams as much as possible, which is why we’re investing in Olympus Twin Packs to ensure streams stay separate. While we’re all adjusting to the changes, we’re here to help our customers understand what is expected of them and how to improve their approach to waste disposal. We offer free waste audits for businesses for exactly this reason, working to establish how effective their waste management is today and how this could be enhanced in the future.”

ASH Waste Services’ team of experienced experts  is on hand to support with the new Simpler Recycling legislation that will come into effect for all non-domestic settings from 2027.. This, alongside their Waste Superheroes campaign, is truly making a difference within the communities the company serves.

“We’ve had a great relationship with ASH Waste since 2019, a partnership that’s only continued to grow and improve year-on-year,” said Adam Robins, General Sales Manager at Dennis Eagle. “Their trust in our Olympus bodies and Terberg bin lifts only serves to demonstrate the ongoing reliability of our innovative RCV technology. We’re pleased our refuse solutions are able to play a key role in spreading the message about the sometimes unseen, but invaluable impact of waste collection crews.”