First Minister Alex Salmond insisted Scotland’s throwaway culture must end as he backed a new food-waste recycling scheme yesterday.
The Gordon MSP said the service, which turns leftover food collected from businesses and restaurants into compost, is the “missing link” in Scotland’s efforts to cut waste.
He gave his seal of approval to Keenan Recycling’s Commercial Food Waste Collection Service during a visit to its client, Shell Upstream Europe’s Aberdeen office.
The firm is one of about 30 businesses already taking advantage of the service.
Mr Salmond said: “Most of us are behaving more responsibly when it comes to recycling, but we still throw away far too much.
“Everyone is doing a lot more than they were a few years ago, but the missing link has been how to collect substantial quantities of waste – it is not as easy for the big companies.
“This service supplies the answer, and any significant company not in this scheme or something similar should be asking themselves the reason why and should be getting involved and making sure this success story continues.”
Keenan Recycling managing director Grant Keenan said the company had already composted about 1,800 tonnes of food waste at its base in New Deer, Aberdeenshire, since introducing the service earlier this year.
He said: “Many companies already recycle the usual cans, plastic, cardboard and paper but food waste is the final piece in the recycling jigsaw.
“Our collection service can be used by a variety of companies and we are already working with a number of firms in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including large oil companies, waste-management companies, hotels, colleges and shopping centres.
“Businesses using the new service can help the environment, increase recycling rates and it’s a huge leap towards the target of zero waste to landfill.”
The Scottish Government published its zero-waste plan last month. It sets out key actions and new targets to tackle the near 20million tonnes of waste produced in Scotland every year.
The plan focuses on transforming waste into a valuable resource that can be used to make new products, generate renewable energy, heat and fertiliser with the potential to create over 2,000 jobs.
Mr Salmond said: “Using waste as a resource will deliver climate-change benefits, create employment opportunities and support a thriving low-carbon economy.”