Kepak Saves £25/tonne by composting food waste

Convenience food manufacturer Kepak is saving £25/tonne by sending its food waste for composting.

The company, best known for its Rustlers range of chilled, microwaveable hot snacks, is working with composting specialist TEG Environmental, which takes waste meat, bread and cheese from Kepak’s Kirkham site.  The food waste is then mixed with garden waste before it is fed into TEG’s unique Silo Cage in-vessel composting system, which breaks down the material, producing nutrient rich, naturally organic compost for use in agricultural, horticultural or domestic markets.

Composting is the latest initiative to be adopted by Kepak Kirkham, which takes a serious approach to reducing its environmental impact, having already introduced systems to cut energy, water consumption and carbon emissions.  “We were looking at ways to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill when I met a representative from TEG at a NISP (National Industrial Symbiosis Programme) event,” recalls Kepak’s Andrew Maguire.  “Until then, I was unaware that there was a composting facility in Lancashire.   Now our meat waste goes for composting rather than rendering, which is a better choice in environmental terms.  TEG also takes our waste bread and cheese.”

For TEG, the waste food products provide essential nutrients which help to enhance the quality of the compost produced.  Its food waste collection service is expected to gather momentum when companies realise that, as well as being an environmentally responsible option, it is possible to achieve significant cost savings by sending waste food for composting rather than to landfill or rendering.  TEG currently has composting plants operational in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Wales, Norfolk and Scotland with several more due to open in the next 12 months.

Explained TEG’s Commercial Director, Jayne Pierre: “Landfill tax increased dramatically in April this year and the Government has stated that they will double by 2010. Removing food waste from the general waste bin and sending it for composting should prove a more cost-effective option than landfill for most companies.  They will also find that other wastes in their bin, such as cardboard and plastic, will stay clean once the food is being dealt with separately and so could have a positive value if recycled.”

For Andrew Maguire, TEG’s composting option has certainly had a positive effect on his bottom line:”We’re currently saving £25 per tonne by adopting the composting route.  It’s an absolutely brilliant option and is really working well for us.”