Association for Organics Recycling (formerly The Composting Association)

officially launches its new name at RWM 08 Show. AFOR undertakes an annual survey funded by WRAP - The State of Composting and Biological Waste Treatment in the UK. Both 2005/6 and the draft 2006/7 reports indicate that approximately only 1% of household kitchen waste from kerbside collections is composted. Furthermore WRAP's 2008 The Food we waste report revealed that 6.7 million tonnes of food waste is thrown away annually, which equates to 30% of the food we buy. This is a shameful reflection of a wasteful society.

With approximately 20% of the UK's household waste made up of food and biodegradable waste, this is clearly an area which must be targeted and its value enhanced through bio-processing.

The biowaste industry is undergoing significant expansion and development, using a diverse range of technologies for the treatment of biowastes and the emphasis on anaerobic digestion technology to process food waste is endorsed by The Association for Organics Recycling (AFOR). Nevertheless, Jeremy Jacobs, Acting Chief Executive states that 'AFOR supports emerging technologies to work in parallel with the current windrow and aerobic in-vessel systems, in order to build a robust and diverse biowaste processing infrastructure for the future, to capture and treat all types of biodegradable wastes'.

It is for this very reason the Association for Organics Recycling recently changed its name to widen its remit and to reflect the organisation's values and membership activities. The Association now portrays more accurately the activities of its core membership which in turn will engage a wider range of stakeholders within the industry.

RWM 08 is an ideal showcase to reiterate the need to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and work together to turn waste into a valuable resource.

Come and see us at RWM 08, on stand number 1160 to discuss how we can help you build a sustainable future.