UNTHA UK’s chairman Chris Oldfield was interviewed about his views on the waste management challenges and opportunities facing businesses in the food sector. His comments went on to be featured in Food Manufacture magazine, but his full Q&A can be read in detail below…
How important do you think sustainability/waste management is to the UK and global food supply chains?
Right now, I’d say waste management is of huge importance, largely because of the growing spotlight that is being shone on the industry. This hasn’t always been the case of course. But over the years it seems to have become increasingly acceptable to simply dispose of unwanted or ‘unfit’ food throughout the supply chain and right down to a consumer level. The scale of the problem has grown to such a magnitude, that the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation claims that “roughly one-third of the edible parts of food produced for human consumption, gets lost or wasted globally, which is about 1.3 billion ton per year.”
Thankfully, over the last 3 years or so we’ve seen something of a turnaround in attitudes, which now sees farmers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, restaurants and other relevant stakeholders working harder to food waste reduction progress. The supply chain is also thinking smarter when it comes to more environmentally efficient food production methods, packaging and logistics.
This is largely because they have to be seen to be doing something to combat this worldwide issue, but there are wider business benefits associated with sustainable thinking too of course.
What do you believe are the main advantages, or disadvantages, of sustainable waste management for food and drink manufacturers?
Aside from it being inherently the right thing to do, there are many advantages associated with sustainable waste management.
Buyers are increasingly looking at food manufacturers’ CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) stance, for example, keen to ensure they mirror the sustainability ethics that are being encouraged throughout the industry. There’s a newfound level of transparency in the sector. Manufacturers therefore need to actively demonstrate that they’re being ‘green’, as much to maintain their reputation as to secure the next contract.
Also, waste, of any kind, is not just an environmental drain – it is costly from a financial perspective too. With all businesses looking to operate more efficiently following the deep recession, smarter waste management therefore provides a way to engineer out unnecessary costs that erode margins.
On a very practical level, a more considered approach to waste management delivers on-site benefits too. Manufacturing facilities will be cleaner, tidier and safer with robust waste management processes in place, which is important from an employee wellbeing perspective.
Of course, the development of a sustainability strategy takes time, effort and knowledge. But the ‘costs’ associated with the upfront investment of resources, will soon be recouped.
Have there been any developments over the past few years, or on the horizon, likely to have a further impact on waste management, eg regulations or evolving retailer demands?
The growing debate surrounding food waste is driving action. Investment in new anaerobic digestion facilities, for example, means the resource value of ‘waste’ can be better harnessed in the UK, rather than lost. But the government’s incentives surrounding AD have worried me in recent times as I fear they’ve put adherence to the waste hierarchy at risk.
We must remember that the waste hierarchy prioritises what should be done to tackle waste of any kind, not just food. Food manufacturers therefore need to focus their efforts on the prevention of food – and other production/packaging – waste, at source. Where waste does arise, attempts should be made to reuse it. So, if it is still fit for human consumption, it should be donated to food banks. After that, there are recycling options, thanks to innovations within companies that can now process the food for use in nutrient-rich animal feeds, for instance. Only then, when these options have been exhausted, should AD (energy recovery) be considered. However, I worry that the financial incentives associated with converting food to biofuels, have made this alternative – albeit less compliant – route more commercially attractive.
Even ‘celebrities’ are on board, with personalities like Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall campaigning to educate the public as to the ludicrous amounts of food waste generated in the UK, simply because it doesn’t always look the part. It is great that the conversations are getting louder.
Elsewhere, developments in packaging legislation have driven further progress. In July 2014, for example, the European Commission announced new plans to recycle 80% of packaging waste by 2030, with the landfilling of recyclable materials – including plastics, paper, metals and glass – to be banned by 2025. Not all food manufacturers need such a legal stimulant to force them to think environmentally smart, but there can be no disputing that regulation drives innovation.
I also have no doubt that the growing momentum of the circular economy concept has acted as a catalyst for further industry progress too. We’ve seen a growing number of food and product manufacturers working more collaboratively to create packaging, for example, that is designed with reuse and recycling in mind. There is a greater acknowledgement for the role that everyone plays in waste hierarchy success, so, if non-recyclable plastics can be stripped out of food packaging, there is more chance a local authority will be able to collect and process it. Advancements in smart labels also deserve praise.
For businesses providing waste management services to manufacturers: what services do you provide, what are their advantages and are you able to mention any food and drink industry clients/case studies?
We supply shredding technology (the UNTHA RS40) utilised by organisations within the food and drink industry to:
- de-package food ‘waste’ from its packaging
- prepare that food (i.e. further shred it) for anaerobic digestion.
A special cutting system, with specific tooth and cutting gap geometrics, has been developed to ensure the right fermentation substrate for AD. We’ve also worked hard to engineer a long-lasting shredder that can withstand the pressures of this often demanding and corrosive process, and we offer a number of support services such as shredder servicing and maintenance, to maximise clients’ return on investment for years to come.
This shredding technology is utilised by the UK’s largest operator of food waste anaerobic digestion (AD) plants, Biogen, for example. The RS40s very much act as their ‘front line’ processing machines. They liberate unpackaged organic matter and materials stored in corn starch bags, achieving a core shred that Biogen’s other sophisticated equipment can then handle. The robust RS40s also provide Biogen with a much-needed defence mechanism – they have no problem dealing with contaminants such as metals, which protects the rest of the plant and ensures they do not have any unwanted foreign objects in the AD feedstock.
Want to chat to UNTHA UK about your food waste/AD shredding requirements? Call 0845 450 5388 or email sales@untha.co.uk.