Aramark halves waste at BP headquarters
BP has halved the waste it sends to landfill at its North Sea headquarters in Dyce, Aberdeen, after caterer Aramark implemented a strategy to improve recycling.
The company diverted 68 tonnes of food waste from landfill for composting in 2011 and reduced packaging waste equating to £32,000 in savings. Recycling at the site has gone from 27% in 2008 to 70% in 2011.
Aramark's strategy involves waste prevention, waste segregation, composting and communication training. Waste prevention methods have ensured that cardboard cases used to transport food are 100% biodegradable and recyclable.
Willie Rowell, account director for BP at Aramark, said: "From partnering with suppliers to reduce source packaging, to recycling waste to create raw materials for other purposes, we're keen to build on the successful results we've achieved with BP at Dyce over the past four years. We're now looking to the future to ensure we're in a position to meet 2013 regulations prohibiting commercial food waste from being sent to landfill. The primary goal is to help BP deliver its ultimate aim of zero waste to landfill at the site."
The initiative to improve recycling by waste segregation and composting has been pioneered by Aramark's housekeeping and ground care manager, Shirley Kidd. The project aims to encourage staff to make more use of recycling stations. Small bins at desks have been removed and new recycling stations installed. Meanwhile, composting caddies has been introduced to all coffee areas to collect tea bags, fruit cores and skins, and coffee grounds. The resulting compost is bought back by BP, to be used as a soil fertiliser.
"Aramark's approach to sustainability fits very closely with our own corporate sustainability ethics," said Liz Wilkinson, HSE adviser at BP North Sea headquarters. "Considering their innovative practices pre-date the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012, we are confident that, together, we will make further improvements in years to come.
Hospitality industry recycles less than half of its waste, finds WRAP report >>
Aramark to cut or modify 50 UK jobs >>
By Matilde Casaglia
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