Webinars

Summary:

This webinar saw Moira from Biffa and Julie from Wakefield Council explain how Wakefield’s waste strategy will cut emissions, boost recycling and turn food scraps into energy and fertilizer. They highlighted that UK households generate 60% of food waste—responsible for around 8–10% of global greenhouse-gas emissions—so Wakefield will introduce separate food-waste bins by 2026 (with a legal backstop of 2038). At the processing plant, refuse is shredded and sorted: organics feed anaerobic digesters to produce methane power, while recyclables are cleaned and sent back into manufacture.

Moira and Julie noted that recycling has stalled at about 45% nationally. New rules now require businesses with over ten employees to separate waste, and councils must collect at least two recyclable streams, aiming for a 65% recycling rate by 2035. From March 31, 2026, more items will be accepted—if rinsed—so residents should buy loose produce, store food correctly, plan meals, label leftovers and rotate stock. Clear “use by” versus “best before” guidance and QR-coded messaging on imperfect produce will further reduce waste.
(AI generated)