The annual global waste production will increase by 70% if current conditions exist, according to “What a waste 2.0”, a newly published report from the World Bank. At present, around 2.01 billion metric tonnes of municipal solid waste are produced annually worldwide.

According to ‘What a waste - the World Bank report (2012)’, organic waste occupies around 46% out of the total solid waste generated in the world. As seen in the table given below, organic waste occupies the highest fraction of waste in all categories of countries - low income, lower middle income, upper middle income and high income countries. Hence it is integral to view this issue as critical as management of plastic or non – biodegradable waste. Organic waste, if dealt with resource efficiently, can be brought back into the eco-system thereby restoring the lost nutrients of the soil.

Currently, many organisations deal with organic waste within their institutions very systemically thereby contributing to sustainability and food security. One such example is of IKEA, where they have provided systemic end- to end solutions for organic waste management.

Case Study

In October, 2009, IKEA- the well-known Swedish furniture store partnered with Cyrenians Organic Waste Recycling (CORE) to apply a two-phase approach methodology to food waste management in their Edinburg store. IKEA successfully introduced the segregation of all food waste produced during the on-site food preparation process in phase one. This waste started to be sent for treatment in the local anaerobic digestion plant, where it was processed to make fertiliser and energy. Phase two of the food recycling project started in June 2011 and this was focussed at dealing with the food waste in the IKEA cafeteria, which was mainly composed of food leftovers. This phase included doubling the size of the cafeteria and implementing a highly efficient segregation scheme in the public areas. A central recycling hub was built in the cafeteria, with a three-bin system for food waste, general waste and recycling. The hub is user friendly and clearly explains to the employees where to place their waste, what can be recycled and what goes to the landfill. Engagement of all employees to participate in this process had an important role, and so detailed practical training sessions were given to all staff members.

As a result, between October 2009 and May 2011, CORE collected an average of 2.1 tonnes each month from the kitchen. Phase 2 of the project which spanned across six months, enabled the collection of 6.5 tonnes each month. Also, due to staff training, less than 3% of the food waste collected had other materials in it. Around 99% of food waste collected by CORE was processed through anaerobic digestion and the product was sold to farmers as a nutrient- rich organic fertilizer.

Some clear and evident benefits of practising this approach was that IKEA reduced its green-house gas emissions and saved 15.2 tonnes of CO2 and 6.8 tonnes of methane every month and saved 1200 Euros per month.

Therefore, organic waste recycling not only has clear environmental impacts, but also provides high business opportunities with monetary benefits. ■

Aishwarya Varadharajan
avaradharajan@devalt.org