IKEA store, Haarlem, Netherlands
The retail store recognized the growing challenge of food waste management at their restaurants. Transporting food waste off-site was expensive, and landfilling food waste conflicted with their sustainability goals and external commitments. Inaction carried the risk of significant reputational damage, undermining their position as a leader in sustainability and circularity.
With food production accounting for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, significant water use, and biodiversity loss, the retail brand also saw an opportunity to address these pressing global challenges. Their goal was clear: to test a model that reduces their environmental footprint while recovering valuable nutrients from food waste.
The turning point: choosing on-site food waste valorization
The retailer decided to take a proactive approach by placing a Waste Transformer next to their store in Haarlem. The Waste Transformer allowed them to process their food waste on-site, converting it into clean energy and natural fertilizer. The project aimed to evaluate the environmental and operational benefits, including CO2 reduction, and explore the potential of using the nutrient-rich digestate as a fertilizer to grow vegetables in an indoor vertical farm.
Read moreThe solution
The Waste Transformer processed approximately 350kgs of food waste per day and fed back the energy into the store. The fertilizer is automatically pasteurized, and tested in a hydroponic farm to compare vegetables growth on food waste based fertilizer and chemical fertilizer.
Key components of the local setup:
Fertilizer production
Produced digestate, a nutrient-rich byproduct that was tested to substitute mineral fertilizers and prove to grow fresh, healthy, greens in a hydroponic farm.
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Local energy generation
Converts food waste from the store into clean energy, reducing dependency on external energy sources.
Operational efficiency
Includes a 3-day buffer system to streamline irregular food waste feeding, ensuring optimal system performance and was seamlessly integrated into regular retail operations.
Achieving goals
The Life Cycle Analysis, conducted under ISO 14040 and 14044 (ISO, 2006 a;b) standards, revealed significant environmental benefits of the on-site Waste Transformer:
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: On-site processing led to a lower CO2 footprint compared to landfilling, incineration and centralized large scale biodigesters.
- Engaged co-workers: The co-workers were trained and inspired by food waste valorization into fertilizer to grow food and became important ambassadors to sustainable behaviour reducing in-store food waste.
- Operational efficiency: The fertilizer proved effective as a fertilizer source for hydroponic farming, particularly for crops like salad greens. The nutrients in 1 kg food waste could grow 43 portions of fresh, green salad.
What's next? Circular food systems
The retailer’s journey demonstrates the value of taking control of food waste at the source. By turning food waste into energy and nutrients on-site, they not only reduce their negative environmental impact but also create new business opportunities, and they inspire and retain their employees.
Your food waste solution is within reach
Could your organization benefit from a sustainable on-site solution like a Waste Transformer biodigester? Contact us today to explore how we can tailor this solution to meet your strategic needs.
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