In an effort to make our University more sustainable, food waste caddies have been installed in all staff kitchens on the main campus. This implementation follows the successful trial run of food waste collections in three main campus buildings.

The goal is simple: to cut down on the greenhouse gases linked to food waste. Now, 10L food waste containers have been placed in all staff kitchen areas. Staff are encouraged to use these for any raw, cooked, or uneaten food waste, rather than putting food in general waste bins. In October alone we managed to save 155kg of food waste from going to landfill.

Approximately 5% of the UK’s Greenhouse Gas emissions stem from food waste. It is a number we can actively reduce by minimizing how much food we waste, finding ways to reuse, and recycling or recovering the rest.

When recycled, the University’s food waste is turned into something useful. It is taken to a specialised processing plant where it is used to generate electricity and produce a fertiliser which can be used in farming. By simply installing and using these new food waste caddies, our University is actively minimising emissions associated with food waste and is contributing to a more sustainable campus.

For more information

• Find out what can go in the University’s food waste caddies
• Find out how the University’s food waste gets transformed into biofertilizer and electricity