|16 September 2016|
London
Gatwick is to become the world’s first airport to convert food waste into energy on site.
In partnership with DHL, it will use a new £3.8million processing plant to convert what is labelled Category 1 waste, which is the majority of waste from non-EU flights. It is defined as food waste or anything mixed with it – such as packaging, cups, meal trays – from international transport vehicles.
Paul Richardson, Managing Director, Specialist Services at DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland said:”We will work closely with Gatwick Airport to integrate new technologies such as our Biomass Waste to Energy System into the supply chain, enhancing energy production and ensuring a sustainable platform to support future expansion for the airport.”
The new plant will process around 10 tonnes of Category 1 waste a day and will include a waste sorting centre, which will boost Gatwick’s recycling rate to around 85% by 2020.
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick CEO, added: “Handling waste is a challenge for all airports, but Gatwick’s new world-beating facility converts a waste problem into a green energy source.”
