Food sector on track to meet zero waste goal

Figures showing the food and drink manufacturing industry recycled or recovered more than 90% of its waste in 2009 prove that it is on track to achieve its zero food and packaging waste to landfill goal by 2015, according to the sector's trade body, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

The data, which was published yesterday (November 4) in a joint FDF-Defra report entitled ‘Mapping Waste in the Food and Drink Industry', shows that, of the 481,000 tonnes of food and packaging waste produced at 149 sites of FDF members last year, 435,000 tonnes – or 90.3% – was recovered or recycled.

That meant only 43,000 tonnes, or 9%, was sent to landfill, which the FDF said represented a “significant improvement” on previous years' data, with 16.5% sent to landfill in 2006 and 12.5% sent to landfill in 2008.

The FDF also noted that its figures showed that, in 2008 and 2009, manufacturers prevented more than 340,000 tonnes of food from entering the waste stream by diverting it to other sources, with 98% of this going to animal feed.

And, it said the results meant that its members were on track to achieve their aim of sending no food or packaging waste to landfill by 2015 – a key commitment of the Federations ‘Five-fold Environmental Ambition', which was launched in 2007.

The progress was welcomed by the waste and recycling minister, Lord Henley, who said: “This is an excellent example of businesses taking the lead in developing effective, sustainable ways of managing their waste.”

Andrew Kuyk, the FDF's director of sustainability and competitiveness, added: “These new evidence-based findings demonstrate beyond doubt that FDF members are making a significant contribution to improving the environment by targeting those areas where they can make the biggest difference.”

Landfill

The report shows that the majority of waste sent to landfill in 2008 and 2009 was mixed food and packaging waste, with only a small fraction – 1.7% in 2009 – of food waste on its own being landfilled.

The FDF also said the report showed a shift towards the “middle tier” of the waste hierarchy, as landspreading remained the dominant waste management option – accounting for 63% of waste in 2009 – and there was growth in the uptake of AD.

“There clearly remains ample opportunity for broader uptake of this technology,” it added.