N DANGER OF TO CATERERS
Organic Waste Award. Food Waste Disposers (FWDs) play a major role in diverting organic waste from landfill where it would otherwise produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is over 20 times more detrimental to the environment than Carbon Dioxide. It is very unfortunate then that negative myths persist, which can all be refuted, about the effectiveness of FWDs that could possibly have had a bearing on the thoughts of the Scottish government.
These myths can be broadly grouped into 3 categories. Firstly, it is claimed that FWDs cause sewage blockages. Research studies conducted over the last twenty years in the US, Australia, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands have all found that the minute particles produced by FWDs are easily transported through sewers and neither settle nor contribute to the problems that may be caused by fats, oils and grease that are illegally poured down the drain. In fact, and as a result of such research, New York City rescinded its 18 year ban on domestic FWDs. Secondly, we are told that FWDs use excessive water and energy. Neither claim is true as FWDs only use a limited amount of water and electricity during the short time needed to process the waste. Indeed, research in Germany has found that FWDs produce 25 times more electricity (from biogas) than they use. Finally, there is a misconception that FWDs deliver no environmental benefit when the reality is that they are proven to enhance the extraction of valuable nutrients that provide Wastewater Treatment Works with a rich source of material with which to generate renewable energy. Research has discovered that if just 10% of London homes were equipped with FWDs the renewable energy created every year from kitchen food waste would be sufficient to power around 5,000 homes, saving £10 million per annum in waste handling costs and generating 24 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity. Paul Tittle, IMC’s Product Manager, commented, “Caterers are already feeling the brunt of the economic downturn so these measures will only increase their hardship. We would encourage Governments to take a broader approach to solving the issue of food waste management, as this ‘one size fits all’
approach simply won’t work”. Tittle explained further; “Ireland has recently introduced a ban on FWDs and without taking action now the industry could be imposed very quickly with draconian and ill thought through legislation. Anton Edelmann, restauranteur,
author, TV presenter and the Savoy Hotel’s former maître chef des cuisines for 21 years echoed these warnings by saying: “I would urge legislators to consider all the implications of imposing a ban on equipment that, with personal first-hand experience, addresses the issue of
converting food waste in to a valuable resource in a highly efficient and cost- effective way. I fear that if legislators have their way we could see many more heavy goods vehicles on our roads each day carrying food waste to processing plants that are certain to be unpopular with the general public.”
IMC calls on all catering
establishments to consider the impact of this legislation on their business and we would welcome your views by emailing us at:
info@imco.co.uk www.imco.co.uk
PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 2 ISSUE 1 25
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