Reducing and recycling
In 2005/06 the company launched a ‘War on Waste’, designed to drive efficiencies by eliminating or recycling waste wherever possible.
Our overall objective is to reduce total waste, by reducing waste going to landfill and by increasing the amount of waste being recycled.
To achieve our ambition of diverting all waste away from landfill, we have entered into an agreement with Encycle LLP, a waste to energy infrastructure initiative, for the conversion of our non-recyclable waste into bio fuel which will then be used to generate green electricity.
The first Encycle waste to energy plant, which Northern Foods, and others in the food industry, have played a major role in supporting, is expected to ‘go live’ in the next 15 months.
Once operational, this process will allow Northern Foods to rapidly reduce waste being sent to landfill sites to zero in the UK.
Tackling packaging waste
The area of packaging waste is high on the agenda, Northern Foods is actively working both with its customers and with WRAP (Waste Resource Action Programme) to address this issue.
In November 2006, Northern Foods became one of the first three food manufacturers to sign up to the Courtauld Commitment. In doing so we joined forces with the UK’s major retailers in helping deliver the Commitment’s aims of:
> designing out packaging waste growth by 2008
> delivering absolute reductions in packaging waste by March 2010
> identifying ways to tackle the problem of food waste.
We are currently working with the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to identify the opportunities for reduction that will allow us to meet these stated aims.
Researching packaging reduction
In 200607, in conjunction with one of our retail partners, Northern Foods packaging technologists successfully applied for funding from the WRAP Innovation Fund to develop a reduced weight ready meal pack. The team will be looking at a range of packaging options, with an emphasis on sustainable sourcing, and is due to publish its findings in January 2008 when the results of the research will be made available industry wide. It is estimated that this project could deliver savings of around 216 tonnes of packaging a year for Northern Foods, and significantly reduce its environmental impact. Work to reduce the weight of ready meal packaging has already won a gold award in the StarPack Awards.
Case study: Improving the segregation of waste
By improving the segregation of waste, one of our sites, Gunstones Bakery was able to improve performance to the extent that over 90% of the total waste generated is now diverted away from landfill. Cardboard and plastic waste is recycled separately where appropriate, whilst recyclable food waste is disposed of to a local incinerator for energy recovery.