All the food packaging waste we produce is collected, transported and disposed of in either landfill, by incineration, recycling or composting.
Below is more information on the different processes..
Composting
Composting facilities transform organic waste to produce high quality compost. Some facilities are now able to take food packaging products with the food waste.
Check with your local composting site to see if they are accepting food packaging. All food packaging will require the correct certification to be accepted.
The more compostable packaging that is in use, the more we can work with the waste sector to extend waste collections UK wide.
Recycling
There are many recycling plants in the UK reprocessing millions of tonnes of material every year.
There are different types of methods used to collect recycling.
Kerbside sort schemes and MRF mixed recycling facility are used by councils.
Collection companies provide collection servuces for commercial recycling.
All councils have different recycling capabilities.
Check with your local recycling centre which recycling facilities they have.
Landfill
Landfill sites contain both household and commercial rubbish.
Household waste is mostly organic, like food, paper and cardboard which produce bacteria that break the rubbish down.
The decaying rubbish produces weak acidic chemicals which combine with liquids in the waste to form leachate and landfill gas.
Leachate can become toxic so it has to be disposed of at waste water treatment plants to prevent contaminating nearby streams.
Landfill gas contains methane and carbon dioxide which can cause explosions.
Incineration
Waste destruction in a furnace by controlled burning at high temperatures.
Incineration removes water from hazardous sludge, reduces its mass and converts it into a non-burnable ash that can be safely disposed of on land, underground pits or some waters.
Incomplete incineration can produce carbon monoxide gas and other harmful substances.
Waste collectors have different recycling capabilities, please check with your local provider.