12 environmental focus


Recycling firm sees 80% sales rise in six months


A south coast food recycling company that began two years ago has processed an astonishing 40,000 tonnes of waste in the past year.


Eco Food Recycling’s remarkable growth has seen turnover increase by 80% in the first half of this year.


The firm was set up by two former professional sportsmen, Andy Jones who played football for Wales, and Simon Heaps, an ex-European table tennis champion. They now have a rapidly- expanding fleet of vehicles at their Ringwood base to cope with the increasing demand.


Eco Food Recycling is responsible for food waste collection across the country through its network of specialist waste carriers. Most of the discarded food is taken to anaerobic digestion plants where it is turned into energy. The company collects from a range of sectors, including hotels, restaurants, pubs, food producers, leisure and theme parks, shopping centres, universities, colleges, schools and company canteens.


However, despite its success, the firm is only nibbling at Britain’s food mountain of leftovers


and scraps. According to the government- funded WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), a total of 8.3 million tonnes of food waste is thrown out by households alone each year.


Commercial enterprises are increasingly recycling their food waste due to their corporate social responsibility policies and impending legislation.


40,000 tonnes of food waste is equivalent to: • 1,410,960,000 bread rolls • 421,052,631 pot noodles


• 88,300,220 loaves of bread


Director Heaps said: “Andy and I are overwhelmed by the success we have had since we started. We both knew that hard work would be essential for the success of our business and we have had to re-evaluate our business plan on a number of occasions as new clients have approached us.


“Companies are now realising that having their food waste collected makes them fully compliant with the waste hierarchy rules, which means that all waste must be recycled where possible, as opposed to going to landfill. It also helps with their corporate social responsibility policies as well as improving the environment for future generations.


“Nearly all companies have waste recycling targets and a mandate to reduce their carbon footprint. Food is the heaviest waste stream and, in most cases, the only thing left to recycle. By diverting this waste stream from landfill companies can hit their recycling targets and reduce their carbon footprint.“


Waste champions: Simon Heaps (left) and Andy Jones, directors of Eco Food Recycling


Added co-director Jones: “What we offer is fully sustainable and only achievable locally by having eco sustainable solutions nearby. By having a nearby disposal facility we can offer a low carbon footprint for our customers with a zero waste to landfill solution.“


Less waste goes to landfill


A Hampshire recycling facility has saved 250,000 tonnes of waste from the county’s landfill in the past five years, fulfilling the stringent conditions of government funding.


Granted £300,000 in 2007 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to install a cutting-edge recycling plant, Raymond Brown Minerals & Recycling has successfully met the stipulation of the subsidy to produce quarter of a million tonnes of recycled material within five years.


The grant, which was awarded by DEFRA as part of its Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) scheme, was used to supplement RBMR’s own £1 million investment in its Rookery Farm recycling facility in Hampshire.


The secondary aggregates produced at the site are made from inert construction and demolition waste.


RBMR environmental director, Steve Cole, said: “There is significantly less waste going to landfill and, as a consequence, we also have a useable product, which then subsequently saves us relying on the extraction of natural resources from the region’s quarries.“


The washed aggregates produced at Rookery Farm meet European specifications for use in concrete and highways drainage while the silt clay recovered from the washing and recycling process has been used in a range of restoration projects.


90% of businesses believe sustainability is important to their success


As scores of businesses from across the Solent gathered to discuss sustainability last month, Grant Thornton UK revealed that 90% of companies believe achieving their sustainability goals is either important or very important to the overall success of their organisation. In addition, more than a third (40%) of CEOs are taking on accountability for sustainability reporting personally.


The financial planning and accountancy firm says the results of the survey show businesses are taking sustainability issues more seriously


www.businessmag.co.uk


than ever before. Norman Armstrong, partner at Grant Thornton’s Southampton office, said: “It is very encouraging that businesses are not only placing great emphasis on sustainability, but also senior management and CEOs are taking the helm and leading the way.


“Carbon reporting may only be mandatory for London Stock Exchange-listed businesses, but it is clear that medium-sized firms anticipate its impact and potential extension in the future. For companies looking to capitalise on green growth opportunities, commercialising new


products and services to help with carbon monitoring and reporting and energy efficiency are critical. Water scarcity and rising commodity prices are lower down the agenda, but are likely to become more pressing for mid-market organisations during the next few years.“


Business Solent held a Sustainability and Business Growth briefing in Bournemouth which gave the Solent region’s environment and sustainability professionals a platform for demonstrating changes which can be made to help improve a business’s green credentials.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – DECEMBER 12/JANUARY 13


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40