Download the Case Study - Bridestowe Lavender Estate (PDF).![Waste cardboard is now perforated and used as a substitute for plastic bubble wrap, effectively eliminating two problem wastes. Bridestowe Lavender Estate employee wearing yellow high visibility shirt holding a piece of perforated brown cardboard.](https://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0025/119806/Bridestowe_400px.jpg)
The project
- Evaluate the effectiveness of composting methods trialled to inform the adoption of larger-scale resource efficiency strategies across the site.
- Optimise supporting activities, for example: separation and collection of waste and methods of disposal, etc, to enhance manufacturing processes, food service and the customer experience.
Background
- The company was focusing on reducing food waste but soon discovered that primary packaging was actually a bigger problem.
Objectives
- Implement large-scale composting of food waste from the cafe.
- Increase efficiency in food service and manufacturing.
Targets
- Reduce waste to landfill by 50%.
- Reduce or maintain service cycle times.
- Reduce or maintain product cycle times.
Outcomes
What was implemented?
- Processes for sorting and monitoring of waste streams are now implemented for all operations.
- Oven replaced in kitchen eliminated the bulk of food waste from cafe.
- Cardboard perforator installed and almost all cardboard re-used on site as a substitute for plastic bubble-wrap.
Key issues
- Changing the culture of the business, everyone needs to play their part.
- It’s expensive to do the right thing and there are hidden costs, for example: time taken to sort and separate.
- Finding simplified information is really hard.
Performance against targets
- Our total waste volumes have increased significantly due to higher visitor numbers, however we have limited waste to landfill by extracting as much recyclable material as possible.
- We have integrated sorting so our service times in the cafe and cycle times in manufacturing are not affected.
Lessons learnt
- Staff wanted to be involved and help to be a part of the solution.
- Ask for help outside of the organisation – we want to do the right thing but it is really confusing.
- Look at your waste streams and work backwards up the supply chain.