15th April 2009

NEWS RELEASE

Reducing Organic Waste

New research will help Auckland’s food and beverage manufacturers divert even more Food and Organic waste from landfill

Food and beverage manufacturers in the wider Auckland region are working with regional economic development agency Enterprising Manukau to identify how much organic waste is produced at their processing facilities and diverted from landfill.

The project is designed to gather, analyse and provide information to both industry and organic waste disposal providers about the amount and type of organic waste produced in the Auckland region so that more can be diverted from landfill, can save costs and establish sustainable practices.

There are around 300 food and beverage companies in the Auckland region employing over 13000 people making it one of the larger industry sectors. Around 1/5th of these companies by number have been surveyed although these 57 companies represent a significant part of the total production.

David Anstice, Food and Beverage Sector Facilitator for Enterprising Manukau says they would like to encourage other producers and those waste management businesses which provide commercial collection services for food and organic waste to get involved:

“This project is unique because it is a food and beverage industry led initiative which Enterprising Manukau is facilitating. Companies provide detailed information about their waste production and how they are currently processing it. This data is being collated so that we will have a clear picture about the amount of organic waste potentially going into landfill or down the drain and more importantly how we can assist producers in avoiding this. Waste to landfill will become more costly once the $10 waste levy charge starts in July so anything businesses can do to minimise this will go straight to the bottom line.”

“Whilst we have most of the major players on board, we are keen to talk to other producers and also those providing organic waste collection services. We are now starting Phase 2 of the project which will survey those providing sustainable disposal options in and around the region as well as an investigation into new technologies and services that could be developed in future.

This is a more complicated area because there are many smaller companies collecting organic waste either to use for livestock or for other local uses. One outcome of this project will be to put service providers in contact with producers and where feasible to recommend cluster solutions to further minimise costs of disposal.”

Top line results from the surveys conducted so far find that:-

 In general Auckland’s food and beverage producers have a good understanding of their waste stream.
 Whilst many have found solutions to deal with their organic waste those who haven’t would like support to reduce the environmental and economic costs associated with waste.
 Many food and beverage businesses in the region are clustered together and may benefit from a coordinated collection system.
 There appear to be few companies that offer a collection service which includes a de-packaging system.

Separate research conducted by project consultants Waste Not Consulting finds that nationally around 14% of commercial waste including the hospitality sector is food waste.

The project is part funded by the Ministry for the Environment’s Sustainable Management Fund.

Food and beverage producers and those companies supplying collection and organic waste processing services to the Auckland region are encouraged to contact the Food & Beverage Sector Group at Enterprising Manukau.

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