The 115,000 upright in-vessel facility is from New Zealand and will be run by Fairfield Materials Management. The facility for composting vegetable waste will help Britain's second biggest market meet its zero-waste target for 2008.
The market produces 5,500 tonnes of waste each year, 80% of which is vegetable waste. The new compost machine has a capacity to turn 3,600 tonnes of green waste into 2,500 tonnes of compost. The compost is being sold commercially to fund the waste management operations and is provided free of charge to Manchester city council park service.
Emma Smith, Fairfield's project development manager, said: “Landfill has been an easy option for rubbish. It allows us to put out our overflowing bins, take them back in when they're empty, and not give a thought to where it all goes. But we have to change and give more thought to where such rubbish goes. That is exactly what we are doing on New Smithfield Market.”
Fairfield plans to install two further vertical composters from New Zealand in January 2004 and to expand its operations from four to 12 wholesale businesses. The company also recycles other types of waste including plastics, wood pallets and cardboard.
Wood and cardboard can be used in the composting process to create different products. After first being shredded, the organic waste is tipped into the top of the composter and baked for seven days. The waste spends four to six weeks in an aerobic process before the compost is ready for use.
The composting operation is a social enterprise, working in partnership with Manchester Markets and Manchester city council. The composting enterprise is part of Manchester Markets' plans to improve New Smithfield Market commercially and environmentally. A multi-million pound refurbishment of the market is underway, rebranding it as the Fresh Food Centre North West. The project is underpinned by a 100,000 European Regional Development Fund grant through the Manchester Local Strategic Partnership.
Councillor Paul Murphy, executive member for Direct Services at the city council, said: “I applaud the arrival of Fairfield at New Smithfield. They are driving a quiet revolution in a small corner of this huge site which from day one has benefited the environment. We are proud to be associated with such a pioneering green enterprise.”
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