Waitrose Maximises Green Anaerobic Credentials as 1st Major Retailer Trialling AD

Waitrose “first major retailer” to trial AD
21-08-2008

Waitrose is claiming to be the first supermarket in Britain to run trials of anaerobic digestion (AD) with waste from five of its stores as part of a drive to divert food waste from landfill and generate renewable power.

Food which has passed its sell-by-date and other biodegradable matter like paper plates, napkins tea-bags, coffee grounds and corn starch packaging is being taken away to be treated to produce compost and energy.

Waitrose claims it is the first supermarket in the UK to trial AD.

The supermarket claims it is the first of its kind to trial this kind of waste treatment which sees Luton-based recycling firm Cawley's pick up food waste from five stores in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire - at Northampton, Towcester, Ampthill, St Neots and Rushden.

Milton Ernest-based AD facility Biogen treat the waste at their 42,000 tonne capacity plant which has been in operation since 2005.

Waitrose Recycling & Waste manager, Arthur Sayer said: "Waitrose is continually looking at ways of reducing its impact on the environment.

"Anaerobic digestion has been operating in other European countries, such as Germany for decades, so we thought it was well worth trying out on a commercial scale for our supermarkets. So far the signs are really positive - and this looks to be a sustainable way of eliminating the need to send waste food to landfill," he added.
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