IKEA composts at the CORE

30 November 2011

CORE has been recognised for its highly successful approach to minimising food waste, introducing the composting of 90% of all food waste at IKEA Edinburgh in just two years. The newly acquired MITIE company won the 2011 Scottish Waste & Resources award for ‘Excellence in Resource Management’ last month for reducing food waste at the Scandinavian retailer’s Edinburgh store.

Since partnering with CORE in October 2009, IKEA has gone from recycling none of its food waste in September 2009 to diverting 90% of all food waste from landfill. CORE implemented a new approach to food waste, based on the closed loop concept and is in line with Zero Waste Scotland guidelines. The food waste generated from the canteen and café areas which previously went to landfill is now sent for composting.

Food waste from IKEA is collected for a fee and delivered to an AD plant to be converted into heat, energy and compost, which is then re-used for agricultural purposes. On average, 6.9 tonnes are diverted from landfill every month, equivalent to two double decker buses filled with food waste. This saves 16.5 tonnes of CO2 and 170 kg of methane gas in the process (estimated using DEFRA accepted values).

Mike Taylor, Managing Director of MITIE’s Waste & Environmental business said: “I would like to welcome CORE to MITIE and congratulate them on this award win, which demonstrates its leadership in managing food waste in Scotland. CORE brings to MITIE its innovative approach to waste management, reinforcing MITIE’s commitment to working efficiently and sustainably with our clients.”

MITIE recently acquired CORE to expand its waste management capabilities in an industry dominated by large national operators. Food waste is a challenging waste stream for most organisations and CORE provides a sustainable alternative to landfilling in Scotland, helping organisations achieving environmental best practice.