Fife College partners with Vegware to reduce waste

Fife College (@fifecollege) has started a partnership with Vegware (@vegware) in order to reduce the amount of waste produced on each of its campuses.

From this month Vegware compostable packaging and cutlery will be in use in cafeterias across the College, as well as in the culinary arts teaching areas and each training kitchen.

The packaging and cutlery will then be available to be disposed with any food waste using the Vegware bins available on campus. It replaces more conventional packaging that is made using finite resources, is harder to recycle once contaminated with food, and is often sent to landfill or incineration. 

Vegware items are made from plants and are designed for commercial composting. Vegware’s Close the Loop service will take the catering waste to a composting facility where it can break down into a nutrient-rich compost for farming use in under twelve weeks. 

The move also reduces the amount of general waste created, which leads to fewer uplifts and a further reduction in carbon emissions.

Speaking about the new partnership, Estates Manager at Fife College Tam Cunningham said:

“We’re really excited about this new partnership with Vegware.

“Everyone at the College is eager to do whatever we can to reduce our carbon footprint and to help care for the environment.

“It’s vitally important that as a nation we continue the legacy of hosting COP26 in Scotland, and continue our drive towards zero waste.

“By introducing compostable packaging we’re not only reducing the amount that goes to landfill, but the waste that is left over can be used for composting in under twelve weeks.

“The products themselves are also extremely high quality, so we’re sure that our students and staff will be pleased with the results.”

Eilidh Brunton, Senior Waste Management Consultant from Vegware commented:

“It is fantastic that Fife College is now part of Close the Loop, Vegware’s composting collections.

“We started Close the Loop in 2017 and it has gone from strength to strength – composting catering waste for offices, universities, cafes and tourist sites all over Central Belt Scotland. 

“We are delighted to have Fife College join us on this journey.”