The Defence Academy is celebrating National Allotment Week (12-18 August) through a novel community initiative, originating in the site’s various food outlets and kitchens.
An in-vessel food waste composter now gives ‘second life’ to food waste, turning it into nutrient rich compost. This in turn is distributed to allotment sites across the neighbouring parishes of:
- North Swindon
- South Swindon
- Shrivenham
The food waste project was initiated in June 2022 by site contractors ESS as part of their ‘Roadmap to Net Zero by 2030’ and has to date transformed 132,668 kilos of waste into 44,375 kilos of compost.
The process, utilising microbes and heat, sees food waste reduced in volume by 90%, and within 24 hours a dry, odourless compost is produced, ideal for gardens and allotments.
Highlighting the benefits of this sustainable practice, Mark Long, ESS Director of Operations said:
The Defence Academy is committed to supporting the priorities and investments made by the UK government to meet its net zero targets. This will be achieved by the continued use of a range of sustainable initiatives that will enable it to create a carbon net zero site in the future.