48 | SPECIAL REPORT | ECO PACKAGING
W:
www.universitybusiness.co.uk/news/catering
ECO-CATERING, STIRLING
UNIVERSITY
fi lms and metals. These may be recyclable if kept dry and separate, but combined and contaminated with food, recycling may be compromised, generally leaving incineration or landfi ll as disposal options. Vegware is the UK’s fi rst packaging
fi rm to create a full range of certifi ed compostable catering disposables, providing a practical solution to the environmental issue posed by conventional packaging by creating eco-catering disposables recyclable together with food waste. All their packaging is plastic-
free, low-carbon and made from entirely recycled or annually- renewable plant materials, produced within a sustainable and traceable supply chain with independent compostability certifi cation proving it can break down in less than 12 weeks, complying with the European standard EN13432. Vegware’s Poppy Bending Becket
PLANGLOW
and consequently their Green League ranking. Students are encouraged to engage with Vegware which will tweet their
university’s green credentials. Perhaps Vegware’s most unlikely
said: “The education sector is a really thriving area for us and we work with lots of universities across the country. We help sites to promote the environmental savings they have made by using our products, for example, through custom posters, presentations and case studies. Our environmental consultancy off ers full recycling support and tailored eco-audits, supporting corporate social responsibility by quantifying universities’ carbon savings by the kilo for every order. In 2013, our UK customers saved 925 tonnes of carbon, 568 tonnes of virgin materials and diverted 1.5 million tonnes of waste from landfi ll.” Vegware’s Green University map
shows how its products meet many of the criteria of the points system for the People & Planet Green League, helping universities increase their sustainability
catering disposable is a two- compartment plate made from a fallen areca nut palm leaf gathered from the forest fl oor in Kerala, India. Hand-pressed in spring water, each is unique. The company’s personal touch is
appreciated by Annabel Hurst, operations manager retail at the University of Bristol. “The University has carried out compostable waste audits for many years. Results in 2010 showed that 25% by weight of the University’s waste bins was food waste. This led to a business case to introduce food recycling: following on from this, Vegware was also introduced as compostable material. All of this was also driven by proposed changes in legislation whereby biodegradable food may be banned from landfi ll. Vegware’s product also passed compostable comparability testing with SITA, our waste contractors.” Planglow is fi nding universities an
increasing part of its business, wherein demand for products varies across the country, according to MD Rachael Sawtell. “There are variations from region to region but our wedges, multi bags and baguet e bags are amongst some of the best-selling amongst universities overall, and many use a mix of our brands to diff erentiate between ranges. Our bloomer packs are very popular with Scot ish universities, while our large salad packs and pots are proving very popular across Northern England. In the South our plat er boxes are big sellers, especially at universities running summer corporate hospitality programmes.” Stirling University has sought 100%
biodegradable and compostable products. Planglow’s Rosso collection fulfi lled these criteria (while increasing sales) while natural packaging and green deli labels enhanced the wholesome, rustic image of the University’s Stir Café where as many products as possible are locally-sourced or fairtrade. Around 10,000 catering facilities
use Planglow products globally, with impressive results coming from California State University’s Chico site, around 90 miles north of Sacramento. Although compostable packaging costs around 10% more than what had been previously used, Corinne Knapp, retail manager for the University’s Associated Students Dining Services, said, “Since making the switch, sales have increased 17%. I did a one-year look at the fi scal year last year of all of the products used to contain our ‘grab 'n' go’ food. Taking the per-pound weight of all added up to 2,846 pounds of packaging. Now, everything going out for our ‘grab 'n' go’ programme is compostable; I don’t believe every single bit of it goes into the compost bin but a good portion does.” UB
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