Methane gas from food waste in landfill is the third largest contributor to climate change.
To help tackle this issue and turn the problem into a solution, BioPak, based just over the Gloucestershire border, is supporting a new scheme - Compost Connect UK.
The non-profit organisation connects businesses to compost services in a bid to help reduce rubbish.
It gives firms easy access to compost collections from partners such as Zap Waste, so food and compostable packaging, like that produced by BioPak, can be diverted from landfill and instead turned into nutrient rich compost or bio-energy that benefits the environment instead of harming it.
Zap Waste works with composters across the UK, currently covering 6,670 postcode districts across London and Birmingham, with a vision to roll out the service to all parts of the UK - including Gloucestershire.
It works with cafés, restaurants, street food vendors and schools to head towards zero waste and provides the service in partnership with First Mile, to help businesses reduce their carbon footprint.
In just one year, an average café can make a huge positive impact through composting, with impressive statistics like 7,800 kilograms of waste diverted from landfill, 5,460 kilograms of compost created and four tonnes of carbon release avoided.
By connecting businesses that produce food waste with the organic waste industry, Compost Connect hopes these commercial partnerships will build a circular economy that diverts food and packaging waste from landfill, increases accessible compost facilities and makes a positive difference to the environment.
BioPak managing director, Leanne Osborne, said: 'Compost Connect is helping to grow access to organic recycling and instigate widespread change. We can make a global impact by making changes at a local level.'
Any firm which signs up to Compost Connect will get monthly updates on how much waste it has diverted from landfill, as well as how many carbon emissions it has avoided.
For large events in Gloucestershire, Compost Connect can also offer one-off collections, too.
For more information on the full compost collection service, visit compostconnect.org/uk.
