04/06/10…Council delivers food waste message to businesses

STATUS: Press release: OXFORDSHIRE County Council is encouraging local businesses to get to grips with their food waste and make big savings on landfill tax.

Representatives of 50 businesses including restaurants, hotels and other food outlets attended an event set up by the authority to spread the word about the county’s facilities for turning food waste into compost.

The Oxfordshire Food Waste Conference, held last week, enabled the council to put businesses in touch with its contractor Agrivert and other companies that collect and treat food waste, diverting it from landfill.

Householders across Oxfordshire are already starting to put aside their food waste for treatment at Agrivert’s Ardley site, and the county council’s contract has ensured there is extra capacity for businesses as well.

A second Agrivert/Oxfordshire County Council Anaerobic Digestion Facility is due to open at Cassington later this year.

Significant demand

Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Growth and Infrastructure Ian Hudspeth, said: “The Oxfordshire Food Waste Conference has shown there is significant demand for food waste treatment among Oxfordshire businesses and I’m very happy that we have provided facilities that they can now use.

“Householders are already helping the environment by setting aside their food waste for composting. Thanks to the extra capacity we’ve made available, businesses can now compost their food waste.”

Agrivert owns and operates food waste treatment facilities in Oxfordshire on behalf of the county council.

The company’s commercial director Harry Waters said: “One of the core strategies of the council and Agrivert was to deliver treatment facilities for business as well as residents and we are now seeking to engage with the business sector.

“Taking food waste out of landfill is excellent news for the environment and can often save businesses money. The food waste conference was a great opportunity for us to meet potential customers, particularly those which generate large volumes such as hotels, restaurants, schools, universities and hospitals.”

The Oxfordshire Food Waste Conference was held at the Oxford Conference Centre on Tuesday, 25th May, 2010.