Liverpool City Region Waste & Resources Partnership – Food Waste Strategy

Liverpool City Region Waste & Resources Partnership (LCRWRP) comprises six waste collection authorities and the regional waste disposal authority and serves a population of around 1.5 million. The region already has long established dry recycling and garden waste collections. Nonetheless authorities collectively need to prepare for the introduction of weekly household food waste collections as required by the Environment Act 2021. 

WRM were appointed to provide consultancy support for the development of a food waste strategy that ensured compliance with the requirements of the Environment Act, while also exploring the best circular economy opportunities for the Merseyside region. 

To address the requirement, WRM commenced the project with a briefing on the technical options, market dynamics, economics of food waste collection and treatment.

With the briefing delivered, our team then proceeded to apply available options to the LCRWRP.  Each collection and treatment option was defined individually.

Modelling work which evaluated the recycling, carbon and financial performance of each option was then conducted.  A deliverability assessment, considering the programme, interdependencies and development risks, was undertaken alongside the quantitative modelling. 

With assessment work completed, WRM proceeded to develop an evaluation framework which reflected the priorities and strategic aims of each authority.  The application of this framework identified a preferred strategy for introducing food waste recycling across the region. 

The project concluded with a clear recommendation to the LCRWRP on the most optimised and circular option for food waste recycling and how it could be delivered.   

The clarity of report and presentations, put forward by WRM, supported decision makers in their governance and the project has now been taken forward into a procurement phase.

A food waste strategy for local authorities is a comprehensive plan designed to manage and reduce food waste within a community. It involves several key components tailored to the needs and capabilities of local authorities:

• Collection Systems
• Treatment Options
• Legislative Compliance
• Public Engagement and Education
• Economic and Environmental Benefits

Collection Systems

Local authorities need to establish efficient food waste collection systems. This typically involves separate weekly collections of food waste from households and businesses to ensure compliance with regulations like the Environment Act 2021. Effective collection systems can include kerbside collection services, where residents place food waste in designated bins for regular pickup.

Treatment Options

Once collected, food waste must be treated in environmentally friendly ways. Common treatment methods include anaerobic digestion, which converts food waste into biogas and digestate, and composting, which turns food waste into nutrient-rich compost. These methods help recover valuable resources and reduce the environmental impact of food waste.

Legislative Compliance

Local authorities must ensure their food waste management practices comply with relevant laws and regulations. The Environment Act 2021, for example, mandates weekly household food waste collections. Compliance with such regulations is crucial to avoid penalties.

Public Engagement and Education

Educating the public about the importance of reducing food waste and how to properly separate and dispose of it is essential. Local authorities can run awareness campaigns, provide educational materials, and engage with communities to increase participation in food waste recycling programmes.

Economic and Environmental Benefits

Implementing a food waste strategy can lead to significant economic benefits, such as reduced landfill disposal costs and potential revenue from the sale of biogas and compost. Environmentally, it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promotes a circular economy by turning waste into valuable resources.

The introduction of a food waste strategy was essential for several reasons:

Legislative Compliance: The Environment Act 2021 mandates weekly household food waste collections. Without a strategy, the Liverpool City Region Waste & Resources Partnership (LCRWRP) would struggle to meet these legal requirements, potentially facing penalties and missing out on compliance deadlines.

Environmental Impact: Food waste contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions when disposed of in landfills. By implementing a food waste strategy, the region can reduce its carbon footprint, aligning with broader environmental goals and commitments to combat climate change.

Resource Recovery: Food waste contains valuable nutrients and energy that can be recovered through processes like anaerobic digestion. A well-planned strategy ensures that these resources are not wasted but instead, converted into useful products such as biogas and compost, promoting a circular economy.

Economic Benefits: Efficient food waste management can lead to cost savings for local authorities by reducing landfill disposal costs and generating revenue from the sale of recovered resources. Additionally, it can create new job opportunities in the waste management and recycling sectors.

Public Health and Hygiene: Regular collection of food waste helps maintain public health and hygiene standards by preventing the accumulation of waste that can attract pests and cause unpleasant odours.

By addressing these critical areas, the food waste strategy developed by WRM not only ensures compliance with the Environment Act but also leverages the best circular economy opportunities for the Merseyside region and delivers best value for the communities that reside there.

“WRM have been instrumental in supporting us to develop a long-term strategic implementation plan for a circular food waste system in the Liverpool City Region. They delivered an extremely high-quality piece of work to very tight timescales and we have been enormously impressed with the strategic rigour they brought to our thinking. They have also helped us to understand broader market dynamics and the opportunities associated with generating green power. WRM have helped us navigate complex territory to find a way forward that we feel confident about and we would not hesitate to recommend them in the strongest terms”. Rosie Sleep, LCR Waste & Resources Partnership Officer Manager 

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