From plates to planters!

 

FOOD waste from the plates of council officers has been turned into compost to use in County Hall planters!

 

Council offices have been separating their food waste so that it can be turned into compost instead of going to landfill.

The pilot project saw approximately half a tonne of leftover food collected from each of the buildings taking part over the course of a year.

Just like the food collected from our homes, it is taken to a special processing plant at Nantycaws where it is turned into compost to be used in our gardens and to brighten up council offices across the county.

Merlin’s Magic Compost is available to buy at the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Trostre (Llanelli); Wernddu (Ammanford); Nantycaws (Carmarthen) and Whitland.

The composting plant; along with the HWRCs, are operated on behalf of the council by CWM Environmental.

Director John Rees said: “We are very pleased to be producing this compost from both food and garden waste and it has proven to very popular with gardeners, schools and farmers throughout the county. We are even using it to grow sunflowers at Nantycaws!”

The pilot project has been so successful that food waste collections are now being rolled out to council buildings across Carmarthenshire.

Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “By separating our food waste we are cutting down on the amount of food waste that ends up in landfill. Rotting food in landfill generates methane – a greenhouse gas that is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide – causing climate change.

“I am delighted the pilot has been so successful and we can now introduce food waste collections in other council buildings.”

Last year the county recycled/composted 43% of its waste but must increase this figure to 52% by 2012/13.

Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “It is great to see that our food waste has come full circle by being turned into compost and then used in planters outside our offices. The caretakers have told me they are very pleased with the compost as the flowers are looking good and are really brightening up the place.”

The majority of council buildings now have ‘Green Teams’ which are made up of green-thinking council staff who are working together to come up with ideas for saving energy and reducing waste.

Executive Board Member for Sustainability Cllr Pam Palmer, who is a member of County Hall’s Green Team, said: “We are working hard to reduce the council’s carbon footprint which will not only benefit the environment but will also help us to save thousands of pounds. This is just one of a number of examples of what the council is doing as part of its climate change strategy.”

CAPTION: Pictured outside County Hall in Carmarthen are (from left) council caretaker Gareth Davies, Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes, Senior Operations

Manager at CWM Environmental Wynn Morgan, Director of Technical Services Richard Workman and Executive Board Member for Sustainability Cllr Pam Palmer.