Government Department opts for Hackney Composter
Hackney Today – 8th May 2006
A local organisation that creates compost from cooked and uncooked food waste has signed a major contract with a central government department.
The East London Community Recycling Partnership (ELCRP), based in Hackney, has joined forces with facility manager MITIE to dispose of food waste from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Government Office for London (GOL).
The news coincides with Compost Awareness Week (7 to 13 May), a campaign to raise the profile of compost and composting among the public and the media.
The agreement represents the first time both a government department and office have operated a food composting scheme, according to ELCRP. It is also the first commercial composting contract of its kind in the country.
Signing the agreement follows a two month trial, that began in January, and the official launch of the service in March.
Catering staff of these two organisations separate all cooked and uncooked food that is taken to ELCRP's in-vessel Rocket composters in Hackney.
The matured compost is then spread around the borough's municipal gardens and green spaces.
The new scheme has been so successful that GOL is set to introduce 'Kitchen caddies' to tea points on every floor of their building.
Staff will be able to actively participate in the scheme by disposing of their fruit peelings, tea bags and other biodegradable waste in these caddies.
GOL's regional director Liz Meek said: "I am delighted that this GOL/MITIE initiative is at the forefront of Government composting. It helps us towards meeting one of our key priority areas for 2006/7 - making London more sustainable."
ELCRP believes this initiative sets a great example at a time when government departments and local authorities are coming under growing pressure to meet increasing reuse and recycling targets.
They are also being encouraged to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste, liable to smell, going to landfill or incineration.