Food Waste is one of the core waste streams generated in the UK alongside Glass, Dry Mixed Recycling and General Waste.
There is an estimated 9.5 million tonnes worth of food waste generated per year across UK households and businesses.
The implementation of proper food waste management practices will help to not only reduce the amount of waste generated in the UK but will ensure that the waste that is generated is handled properly and in the most economical way.
Food waste is essentially any food product that could have been consumed but has for whatever reason been disposed of. This can be broadly classified into the following categories:
Anything that was once intended for consumption can be disposed of in a food waste bin such as:
In order for your food waste to fulfil its full life cycle, it needs to be of a certain standard and therefore be free of any materials that may interfere with recycling and repurposing practices.
Products you should avoid adding to your food bin are:
*Midas Waste can also arrange the collection of used oil should your business require this.
A key method for the redistribution and reuse of food waste is a process called Anaerobic Digestion.
The best way to understand Anaerobic Digestion is to think of your local food waste plant as a human stomach, a delicate ecosystem that requires the right materials to go in in order to create energy and power the human body.
Much like the human digestive system, these plants require the right materials with the right types of bacteria to be present (such as those listed above) and this combination of materials will slowly release gases that can be harvested and turned into energy. This energy can then be repurposed in a useful way across the UK.
The aim of this process is to help to extend our food’s life cycle and prevent further wastage.
In order for our food waste to be turned into energy it must be correctly disposed of and properly contained before and during its collection.
This means the correct segregation of foods that can and cannot be recycled and that all materials are stored in the correct, preferably airtight receptacles.
Commercial operations are a significant contributor to the food waste generated in the UK, so much so that there is clear governmental legislation and guidelines around the correct way to manage your commercial food waste.
The first key action to take is to look at hiring an expert waste management company to help you follow these guidelines and create an effective waste management strategy that will save you money and ensure you are hitting both your internal and government-led environmental targets.
Here at Midas Waste, we work hand-in-hand with our clients to deliver top-tier waste management practices. We are proud to run a zero-to-landfill operation and will always be ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest developments and best practices for waste management.
We will start with an in-depth free waste audit to identify key areas of opportunity and change. This will cover areas such as segregation, pick-up frequencies, the type and number of receptables used, how these receptables are labelled and your internal messaging – all key influencers in the effectiveness of your waste management.
Re-education is core part of what we do here at Midas, and we will work with employees across all levels of your business to ensure everyone is well-informed and working together for the greater good of your operation and the environment.
We have wide-ranging experience across a number of sectors. Particularly of note when it comes to food waste is our experience with local schools and educational institutions and the hospitality and retail sectors. We understand that these sectors operate on an individual basis and therefore require a detailed, bespoke waste management plan.
As well as creating a better waste management plan we can guarantee a reliable and efficient commercial food waste collection model with fully qualified, experienced drivers and an exceptional customer account team at the end of the phone, ready to help if needed.
Case Studies
Tailored Waste Management for a group of award winning gastro pubs and restaurants owned across Kent.
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Midas Waste boast a highly-qualified, experienced team, exceptional customer service and a world-class waste management programme. If you require any help with your waste management solutions please get in touch by phone, our contact form or by requesting a full free waste audit.