One of the UK’s largest food waste recycling companies is making its mark in Wales after eye-catching three-year growth.
Keenan Recycling, which works with businesses and local authorities to deliver food waste to anaerobic digestion plants, has seen bin lifts in the country increase by more than 30,000 per cent.
The enterprise’s collections throughout Wales have risen from just 121 in 2020 to 37,227 in 2023.
Those figures are part of a notable 36 months for Keenan, with the company’s total number of UK-wide bin lifts more than doubling from 556,172 for Wales, England, and Scotland to close to 1.3million last year.
This equated to 54,000 tonnes of waste being collected and taken to anaerobic digestion plants, which convert the material into renewable energy sufficient enough to power 5,000 homes.
Claire Keenan, director at food waste specialist Keenan Recycling, said: “We are proud to be helping the recycling needs of clients to the tune of more than one million bin lifts.
“It’s a clear sign of providing quality service and is testament to the team’s hard work.
“We are particularly excited about our growth in Wales, especially after investing £1m in new eco-friendly trucks to cover the region as part of our goal to have a fully decarbonised fleet by 2030.
“In addition, we have been working closely with firms in Wales to ensure they are compliant ahead of upcoming legislation changes.”
It will become mandatory for all businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to separate their recycling from 6 April.
Claire added: “Disposing of food waste correctly plays a crucial role in the journey to Net Zero, and we’ve seen first-hand the impact new rules and regulations can have.
“We saw significant increases in England when the Environment Act was passed in 2021, going from 128,000 bin lifts in 2020 to 710,000 last year.
“Wales has an enviable history of leading the way with its recycling rates, and we’re sure we will see strong growth in food waste rates through 2024.”
Keenan Recycling collects food waste from every postcode in Wales, Scotland, and England. It is collected from businesses along with public and private sector organisations and is then transformed into either compost, renewable electricity, gas, heat, or fuel.
Its ever-growing fleet of specialised food waste collection vehicles including hydrogen and HVO, operate across 18 depots, offering private & public sector clients an opportunity to segregate food waste, lower their carbon footprint, and improve their green credentials.
