The 'Review of Food Waste Depackaging Equipment' names 39 suppliers, mainly based in the UK and mainland Europe, which offer technology that helps to reduce contamination.
The use of depackaging equipment by in-vessel composting plants is not included in the review because it is a dryer process, where packaging can be removed after the composting process.
The review was carried out by international environment consultancy, SLR Consulting. The company investigated the technology available through contacting members of the German Biogas Association and asking them for the names of their depackaging equipment suppliers and by looking into the equipment suppliers at two of Europe's biggest exhibitions for waste treatment – RWM 2008 in Birmingham and IFAT 2008 in Munich.
Of the 39 suppliers identified, nine provide technical data for their equipment, which is now available on the WRAP website. WRAP is now inviting other companies offering similar equipment to include their details.
The nine currently included are: Coventry-based equipment supplier Atritor, German-based food processing machine specialists Baader – which has a UK office in Aberdeen, German firm Ha-Di-Tec (Brand), German mechanical sorting technology specialist Komptech, which has its UK office at Kineton, German engineering firm Kufferath, German dairy industry equipment specialist Rothenburg, Michigan-based recycling equipment firm Sebright and German food separation specialist Sepamatic.
The report said: “This review has concluded that there is suitable technology available which is capable of removing various packaging types from packaged food waste, and technical details of the equipment is provided in data-sheet form on the WRAP organics web pages.”
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