Co-Op recycling project ‘five months ahead of schedule’

The Co-operative Group (Co-Op) in the UK is to start diverting waste away from landfill and into renewable energy scenarios.

The initiative, rolling out over 2,800 food stores, is expected to move 34,000 tonnes of food from landfill a year, plus general waste too. All waste will be separated at store level before Co-Op’s logistics deliver it to be handled by Biffa waste management operatives.

Waste food and flora will be used to generate biogas, customer and general waste will go toward making fuel and dried mixed items will go to relevant recycling facilities.

‘As a community-based retailer we have a social responsibility to reduce waste that goes to landfill, and we have pledged to divert all our food store waste from landfill by the end of 2013,’ David Roberts, director of Trading Property, Co-Op Food was quoted as saying. ‘We will achieve this by the end of July, five months ahead of schedule.’