Waste recycling and packaging

Introduction

According to DEFRA, each year the UK produces 100 million tones of waste from households, commerce and industry combined. The majority of this waste still goes to landfill where it generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, as it biodegrades. Not only are landfill sites the last resource in the disposal and treatment of waste, they are also heavily taxed and they are filling up at a fast rate.

Recycling is a good strategy to divert waste from landfill and it saves energy. This is because the manufacturing processes involved in recycling a material use less energy than if virgin materials had been used.

Most of the waste we produce is associated with the preparation of food and drink in our outlets and therefore consists of food waste and packaging waste. Packaging is essential to our business, in order to deliver food, drink and other consumables to our outlets and ensure that they arrive in a safe and usable condition. However, packaging has an environmental impact if it ends up in a landfill site, so it is important to reduce the amount we use and to recycle it where we can.

Our approach

Whitbread's approach to waste, recycling and packaging incorporates two key strands:

Waste produced

The amount of waste produced across the Whitbread estate improved from 30,788 tonnes in 2007/08 to 29,095 tonnes in 2008/09, which is a decrease of 5%.

Initiatives

To follow are some of the initiatives employed within the group.

Cardboard recycling

The amount of cardboard recycled increased from 894 tonnes last year to 1,105 tonnes this year, which is an increase of 24%. The majority of the cardboard recycled is transit packaging, used to contain and protect food products during distribution.

Glass recycling

The amount of glass recycled increased from 3,773 tonnes last year to 4,230 tonnes this year, which is an increase of 12%. The majority of the glass we recycle is bottles from drinks sold in our hotels and restaurants.

Bed and mattress recycling

On average, Premier Inn's beds and mattresses are replaced every six years. This amounts to circa 6,000 mattresses and divan bases that need to be disposed of each year. Historically, these were sent to landfill because no alternative was available. However, within the last year our contractor, Hypnos, has developed unique machinery to shred and separate all materials for recycling.

Metal hinges and springs are recycled back into steel products; timber into MDF or wood shavings; foam reused in carpet underlay or other insulation products; textiles recycled into insulation products or briquettes for industrial heating.

Used cooking oil

In the last year 795,000 litres of used cooking oil was collected from the estate for recycling. This cooking oil will be converted into bio diesel, which can be used as a fuel for heating purposes and for running vehicles.

Costa takeaway cups

Due to the nature of its business and to satisfy customer demand, Costa uses takeaway packaging for various items of food and drink sold in its outlets.

Costa has been working with the UK Paper Cup Recycling Committee to find solutions to improve the environmental impact of their takeaway cups.

A pilot trial at a paper mill demonstrated that it is possible to process the paper cups into a high quality paper fibre that can then be transformed into products such as recycled toilet paper. It is hoped that further trials will be conducted in the future.

Today, all of Costa's Paper cups are made from sustainable sources and the inner card content has been reduced by 10%. To reduce packaging, Costa no longer uses a sleeve that slides over the outside of the cup. The sleeve has instead been incorporated into the design of the cup, in order to reduce the packaging required. The plastic lids for Costa's takeaway cups are recyclable.

Frescato cups

The plastic takeaway cups that are used for Costa's Frescato iced drinks range are totally recyclable. The plastic Frescato cups also contain at least 50% recycled plastic.

Packaging award

Costa's new hot food packaging has received the Food Service Packaging Association's product innovation award. Developed in partnership with packaging manufacturer BCP Fluted Packaging, the practical, easy to use design incorporates a tear strip which, when removed, allows the pack to open out into a greaseproof-lined tray. It is made from sustainably sourced cardboard, is fully recyclable and keeps sandwiches warm for 10-15 minutes.

Costa's Roastery

The Roastery in London uses upwards of 195,000 cardboard boxes each year to deliver its coffee to stores and customers in the UK and overseas. This year, the Roastery started to phase out its standard cardboard boxes in favour of those that are made from 84% recycled material and are fully recyclable.

Green coffee beans arrive at the Roastery in hessian sacks, ready to be roasted. The Roastery has recently partnered up with Eako, a supplier that can turn the hessian sacks into 'Bags for Life' to be sold in supermarkets. This new initiative will divert circa 1,200 sacks per week from landfill. Each bag sold will generate a 10p donation to the Costa Foundation.

Head office waste & recycling initiatives

Recycling

At our head offices, there are central areas for waste recycling and disposal. Employees are discouraged from having their own bins under their desks and encouraged to use the central areas instead. A selection of bins can be found at each recycling area, to dispose of paper, plastic bottles, tin cans, paper cups and their corresponding plastic lids and general waste.

Food packaging in our restaurants at head office

The restaurants at our head offices have also introduced some simple but effective environmental initiatives. As far as possible, the type of teabags provided are those that are not individually wrapped in paper or plastic, in order to reduce waste. Takeaway plastic pots and tubs have been replaced with biodegradable containers. Unbleached napkins are provided and employees are encouraged to reuse cup carriers and takeaway bags.

Mobile phone recycling

At our head offices, employees can recycle their unwanted mobile phone handsets. These phones are sent away to be recycled by a 3rd party company that has a "no landfill" policy. Any money raised from this initiative is donated to charity. In the last year, 167 handsets have been recycled, raising over £850 for the following charities: Hospitality Action and the Costa Foundation.

Trials

Food waste is believed to make up 25% of the waste stream of our restaurants and all of this currently goes to landfill.

In order to divert this particular waste stream from landfill, we have been conducting some anaerobic digestion trials with 18 restaurants. Our kitchen teams ensure that the food waste and other organic matter such as paper serviettes is segregated at source and is put into a nominated food waste bin. This is then collected by a specialist company for treatment.

Anaerobic digestion means that the food is broken down by naturally occurring bacteria. This process results in biogas, which can be used to produce renewable energy and bio fertiliser, which can be used by farmers.