Cranswick Country Foods and Wastetech’s Comprehensive Waste Management Solution.
Cranswick Country Foods, a leading UK food producer, faced significant challenges in managing waste at their Milton Keynes facility. The site generated a substantial amount of plastic contaminated by food waste, including meats, fats, and marinades, which made recycling problematic. Although some clean recyclables were sorted, around 1,600 tonnes of mixed waste, predominantly contaminated plastic, ended up as general waste each year. Previous waste management contractors had been unable to provide effective solutions, leaving Cranswick with high disposal costs and a strong desire to find a more sustainable approach.
Wastetech’s Custom Solution and Expanded Partnership.
Wastetech undertook a comprehensive assessment and proposed a unique, site-specific solution. In partnership with other industry experts, we designed and engineered a washing and baling system that would cleanse contaminants from plastic waste, converting it from general waste to a recyclable asset. After cleaning, the plastic will be baled and sent for recycling, reducing the site’s general waste by over 90 and diverting significant volumes from General Waste.
The success of this system led Cranswick to expand their partnership with Wastetech. Wastetech now provides total waste management services at the Milton Keynes site, overseeing all waste streams and identifying further opportunities for efficiency and recycling. Wastetech’s team is exploring additional waste materials currently disposed of to design and implement further innovative recycling and treatment solutions. This includes analysing other food waste, packaging materials, and by-products that may be suitable for recycling or alternative uses.
Key Project Deliverables.
- Bespoke Washing and Baling Solution: A tailored system designed to wash, clean, and bale contaminated plastics, transforming waste into a recyclable resource.
- Reduction in General Waste by Over 90%: Wastetech’s approach will cut general waste by over 1,450 tonnes per year at Cranswick’s site, significantly lowering disposal costs and environmental impact.
- New Revenue from Recyclables: Converting waste plastic into recyclable materials will provide Cranswick with a new revenue stream through recycling rebates, offsetting initial investment costs.
- Rapid ROI Within Two Years: The solution will prove so efficient that Cranswick will achieve a full return on investment in under two years.
- Expanded Total Waste Management Services: Wastetech now manages all waste streams at the Milton Keynes site, seeking to optimise processes for other materials to increase recycling rates further.
- Industry-Wide Applicability: This project showcases a scalable model for the UK food manufacturing sector, addressing common waste management challenges with innovative solutions that improve sustainability and financial outcomes.
Through their collaboration with Cranswick, Wastetech has illustrated the potential for the food manufacturing industry to adopt sustainable waste management practices that bring economic and environmental benefits, paving the way for sector-wide improvements across the UK.
Implications for the Broader UK Food Manufacturing Industry.
The benefits Wastetech has brought to Cranswick’s Milton Keynes site highlight a scalable approach for food manufacturers across the UK. Similar waste challenges are faced by food producers nationwide, who also deal with significant volumes of contaminated plastics and other hard-to-recycle materials. Wastetech’s approach demonstrates how tailored waste management solutions can drastically reduce General Waste output, create revenue streams from recyclables, and provide a strong return on investment. By implementing these innovative solutions, the UK food manufacturing industry could achieve significant environmental gains, reduce disposal costs, and make progress toward circular economy goals.