Plant based manufacturer Decent Packaging produces a range of food and drink takeaway packaging products that include coffee cups, straws, plates, cutlery and napkins
First Mile to collect decent packaging’s compostable packaging waste. (Credit: First Mile)
Recycling company First Mile has teamed up with Decent Packaging, a plant based packaging manufacturer, to further boost the UK’s recycling of compostable packaging.
Under the initiative, First Mile will recycle and convert decent packaging’s compostable packaging waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser.
The plant based manufacturer produces a range of food and drink takeaway packaging products that include coffee cups, straws, plates, cutlery and napkins.
According to First Mile, the plant-based products reduce the impact on energy and water consumption and polluting emissions which petroleum-based packaging has on the environment, while having a clear recycling process in place.
Launched in 2019, the compostable packaging recycling service of First Mile provides businesses with a recycling solution in the face of the common misconception that compostable items can be thrown in general waste, mixed recycling or food waste bins to decompose.
The process of recycling compostable packaging waste
First Mile said that the packaging waste will be collected from the business and sent to its Sacktory, a pre-sorting facility which cleans the waste collected for the whole year.
The Sacktory separated the compostable packaging waste from the waste will be loaded in to the facility.
The separated compostable waste will then be taken to a local autoclave where it is put under high pressure and temperatures approximately 166 degrees to break down using microorganisms.This creates biogas, which will be sent to a combined heat and power engine that provides gas and electricity to the National Grid.
After recycling Liquid digestate material, which is a by-product of the process, it will be sent to local farms to use it as a fertiliser.
In July last year, First Mile has partnered with sustainable food packaging company Huhtamaki to accelerate coffee cup recycling across the UK.
The partnership aimed to increase the number of disposable coffee cups effectively recycled in the country.