Tag: environment

A Budget to support a greener Scotland

Scotland’s Budget will deliver record levels of investment in tackling the climate emergency – helping to protect and restore the natural environment, and slash emissions from homes, industries and transport.

The 2022-23 budget provides more than £2 billion for measures that will accelerate a just transition to  a Scotland which leads the way in ending climate change.

This includes:

  • £53 million to protect and restore the natural environment, including peatlands, and a further £69.5 million to create and sustain woodlands;
  • £336 million invested in energy efficiency and low carbon and renewable heat to deliver warmer, greener homes. This includes £160 million to support those least able to pay for home energy improvements, helping to cut emissions while tackling a major driver of fuel poverty and creating jobs across the country;
  • Investment of £53 million for the energy transition and industrial decarbonisation projects;
  • The first £20 million allocation of the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray will be made – with impacted workers playing a key role in deciding how the funds are spent;
  • Almost £1.4 billion will be spent to maintain, improve and decarbonise Scotland’s rail network. Free bus travel for young people will receive £110 million, and £150 million will be invested in active travel, such as walking and cycling. This will support efforts to cut car kilometres by 20% by 2030.

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “We are playing our part in tackling the global climate emergency head on. This budget carries forward the momentum created by COP26, with record investment in transforming Scotland into a net zero, climate resilient nation.

“We are prioritising investment in the natural environment, including our vital woodlands and peatlands. This is not just good for the planet, it will also support local jobs in the rural economy.

“We are also taking action to make our homes warmer and greener to help reduce emissions, while tackling fuel poverty and creating green jobs.

“The transition to net zero has to be made in a way that is fair and just, with no one left behind. Our Just Transition Fund will give communities impacted by the transition a real say in their future, and create new economic opportunities in which they can thrive.

“We have set a challenge of reducing the number of kilometres travelled by car in Scotland by 20% by 2030. Achieving this will require a big modal shift in how people travel and a greener, decarbonised public transport network as an attractive alternative.

“That’s why we are prioritising transport spending on public transport and active travel. By investing almost £1.4 billion in 2022-23 to maintain, improve and decarbonise Scotland’s rail network and providing record investment for walking, wheeling and cycling of £150 million next year.

“Bus services and users will benefit from £414 million, which includes £110 million for free concessionary bus travel for young people aged under 22, helping to establish and embed positive sustainable travel habits among our younger generations.”

Recycle, reuse, buy responsibly and have a green Christmas!

The city council is launching a campaign on Monday encouraging residents to recycle and reuse as much of their waste as they can.

The campaign links in with CEC’s campaign asking residents to have a less wasteful Christmas and help reduce their impact on the environment and follows last year’s tremendous effort when residents helped the council recycle 6,722 tonnes of waste – that’s about the same weight as 57,000 Santas – over the festive season!

CEC is also asking people to fold up their cardboard neatly before putting it in the correct recycling bin to make sure they leave enough room for all the extra recycling likely to be generated over the festive season.

If there is no room left, we’d encourage you to make an appointment at your nearest recycling centre and take any extra waste there. If that is not possible, fold it up neatly and place it next to your bin on your collection day.

If you have a large amount of any waste generated please don’t place it next to your bins but book an appointment at your local household waste recycling centre.

The council is also letting residents know there are no changes to waste and recycling collections as Christmas and New Year are on a Saturday this year so they should put their recycling and waste bins out on their usual collection days.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener, said: “It’s really important that we all do our bit to help the environment and the festive season is a perfect opportunity to get creative and reduce waste by making delicious dishes out of leftovers, making gifts for our loved ones and reusing cards and wrapping paper as festive decorations for future years.

“Many more people are still shopping online due to the current health pandemic which means a lot of cardboard is being used. When clearing up this Christmas, please remember to fold cardboard up neatly and recycle it responsibly and I think it is also important to point out that when shopping remember that while foil and metallic wrapping paper and cards may add sparkle to your Christmas, they can’t be recycled.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Environment Vice-Convener, said: “As well us reusing, buying responsibility and locally where you can, when waste is generated, please help us push up our recycling rates by making sure you clean your plastics before they are recycled to stop contamination and put everything in the correct bin.

“Any food you haven’t turned into lovely leftovers, if you put it in your food waste bin, we turn into energy and fertiliser. Recycling one kitchen caddy of food waste can create enough energy to power a TV for five hours.

“Other fun facts we’re sharing to encourage people to recycle are six clean mince pie foil cases saves enough energy to watch up to an hour of TV and one glass bottle saves enough energy to make 14 slices of toast.

“When the fun is over and you’re taking down your tree, if you are recycling it, check which day we’re collecting trees in your street on our website, remove its base, decorations and cut it in half if it’s over 6ft before popping it neatly on the kerbside on its collection day.”

More information on how to have a green Christmas.

SEPA publishes latest Household Waste statistics

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) statisticians have published Official Statistics which provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2020, as well as waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland in 2020.

  • COVID impacts likely to be responsible for a 2.9 percentage point reduction in household recycling rates from 2019 to 42%
  • Household waste generated increased 0.3% to 2.4 million tonnes
  • Scottish household waste landfilled reduced by 13.0% to 660,000 tonnes
  • Carbon impact of household waste down 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent from 2011
  • Reduction of all waste landfilled in Scottish by 13.0% to 2.6 million tonnes
  • Increase of all waste incinerated in Scotland by 3.1% to 1.26 million tonnes

Household waste recycled and landfilled decreases

Scotland’s overall household waste recycling rate reduced from 44.9% to 42% from 2019, and 2.5 percentage points up from the 39.5% achieved in 2011. It is likely that COVID-19 impacts are the main driver behind this reduction.  The total amount of Scottish household waste recycled was 1.02 million tonnes, a decrease of 66,000 tonnes (6.1%) from 2019. 

There was a reduction in the amount of some waste materials recycled, such as construction and soils (reduction of 26,000 tonnes, 14.8%) and composting of vegetal wastes (reduction of 17,000 tonnes, 5.7%), while there was an increase in the amount of other waste materials recycled, such as such as glass wastes (15,000 tonnes, 14.4%) and plastic wastes (8.3%, 5,000 tonnes).

The amount of Scottish household waste landfilled in 2020 was 660,000 tonnes, a reduction of 98,000 tonnes (13.0%) from 2019, and a reduction 794,000 tonnes (54.6%) from 2011. This is the ninth consecutive decrease in household waste landfilled. This decrease is primarily due to more waste being diverted from landfill to incineration and in part less waste being generated.

For 2020, the total amount of Scottish household waste managed by other diversion from landfill was 748,000 tonnes, an increase of 171,000 tonnes (29.7%) from 2019 and an increase of 625,000 tonnes (508%) from 2011.  This includes waste incinerated, incinerator outputs recycled, and organic material recycled that does not meet quality standards.

2020 data reflects a continued downward trajectory since 2011 in Scotland’s household waste carbon impact. The carbon impact of Scottish household waste generated and managed in 2020 was 5.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (TCO2e), which is the equivalent to 1.00 TCO2e per person.

This was a decrease of 225,000 TCO2e from 2019, and a reduction of 1.33 million TCO2e since 2011. This is largely due to increased recycling for high impact waste materials as well as reductions in waste generated and reduced landfilling of biodegradable waste.

Data for every one of Scotland’s 32 local authorities are available on SEPA’s website.

Waste landfilled in Scotland sees continued reduction

The total quantity of waste landfilled in Scotland in 2020 was 2.6 million tonnes, a reduction of 390,000 tonnes (13.0%) from 2019 and a reduction of 4.4 million tonnes (62.9%) from 2005. This is the ninth consecutive reduction in waste landfilled across Scotland. This decrease is primarily due to more waste being diverted from landfill to incineration and in part less waste being generated.

Part of the reduction was largely due to less soils landfilled, which decreased by 340,000 tonnes (29.0%) from 2019.  This is likely a result of reduced construction activity in Scotland due to COVID-19 restrictions during the reporting period.

The waste landfilled in Scotland statistics are available on SEPA’s website

Waste incinerated in Scotland increases

The total quantity of waste incinerated in Scotland in 2020 was 1.26 million tonnes, an increase of 38,000 tonnes (3.1%) from 2019, and an increase of 855,000 tonnes (208%) from 2011. There was, however, a 15.3% reduction (75,000 tonnes) of wood waste incinerated, a likely impact of COVID-19 restrictions such as closure of household waste recycling centres and reduced construction activities during the reporting period.

The waste incinerated in Scotland statistics are available on SEPA’s website

Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “Last month, the world came to Glasgow to agree global action on the climate emergency.  The message was clear that together, as counties, companies, or communities – we all have a role to play.

“How we use resources in our homes, workplaces, public services and private sector can have a real impact on Scotland’s environment.  Whilst It’s positive that for a ninth consecutive year we see a move from landfill, the latest data does reflect the realism of the public health emergency.

“What’s important is not the past, but what we do next.  We’ve shown that by working together, we can rise to the challenge of a healthcare emergency.  We need now to show that we can do this again in tackling the climate crisis.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, added: “There’s little doubt the disruption caused by the COVID_19 pandemic hit recycling efforts in 2020. In particular, the closure of recycling centres in many areas seems to have had the greatest impact. 

“The good news is that the volume of materials collected for recycling at the kerbside increased, showing that there is a keen appetite to recycle more amongst householders. 

“There was a huge collective effort from local authority staff in all departments, as well as private sector resource management companies, to keep the show on the road during the strictest lockdowns, and periods of heavy staff absence. This hard work was very much appreciated by the public. Without all of these efforts, the recycling rate may have been more severely affected.  

Iain Gulland concluded, “As we move out of the initial shock to services caused by the pandemic, we need to redouble our collective efforts to increase the national recycling rate, with improved infrastructure and continued engagement with householders.”

Morrisons launches sustainable household range ‘eco’ with prices starting from just £1

  • Morrisons eco range includes cleaning products, fabric conditioner and laundry liquid
  • All products are 100% recyclable
  • Made using plant-based and biodegradable materials, with no harsh chemicals
  • Prices start at just £1.00, a fraction of the cost of similar household brands
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Morrisons has launched a new cleaning range – Morrisons eco – to provide customers with more environmentally friendly alternatives to many staple household products. 

The range includes anti-bacterial spray, floor cleaner, toilet cleaner, laundry liquid, fabric conditioner, washing up liquid, toilet paper, kitchen roll, sponges and cloths – all the products are made from plant-based and vegan ingredients.

The packaging is fully-recyclable and can be recycled by customers at home, the products are also part of Morrisons first Leaping Bunny Cruelty Free certified range. 

Morrisons has launched the range in response to feedback from customers that they want to purchase cleaning products that would help them protect the environment but need them to be at a more affordable price point.

Research by Morrisons revealed that four out of five of its customers (81 per cent) said they care about the environment, and just under half (45 per cent) of customers said they have purchased an eco-friendly household product in the last six months, as shopping trends continue to shift. 

Unlike ordinary cleaning products that can be harmful to the environment, Morrisons eco range has been created with sustainability and the protection of the planet in mind, and without any compromise on performance.

When independently tested against comparable products from leading household brands, Morrisons eco range performed as well as products costing three times as much. Customers can pick up the Morrisons eco range in store from just £1.00, a saving compared to similar eco-ranges available. 

James Crabtree, Senior Household Buying Manager at Morrisons, says: “We believe that powerful cleaning doesn’t have to cost the earth – and we mean that both figuratively and literally.

“We’ve seen a boom in the popularity of more environmentally friendly products and we know our customers want to shop more sustainably. We’re excited to be able to provide them with an even bigger variety of cleaning products – that look and smell great – to pick up as part of their weekly shop, without breaking the bank.”

The following products are available now in Morrisons stores nationwide and online at morrisons.com: 

  • Morrisons eco toilet cleaner spearmint – 750ml – £1
  • Morrisons eco antibacterial multi surface spray rhubarb – 750ml – £1.50
  • Morrisons eco disinfectant spray passion fruit – 750ml – £1.50
  • Morrisons eco floor cleaner orange blossom – 1000ml – £1.50
  • Morrisons eco fabric conditioner tropical – 1L – £2
  • Morrisons eco non bio laundry liquid tropical – 1L – £1
  • Morrisons eco washing up liquid grapefruit – 500ml – £1
  • Morrisons eco toilet paper (9 pack) – £3.50
  • Morrisons eco kitchen roll (2 pack) – £1.50
  • Morrisons eco non scratch sponge (6 pack) – £1.25
  • Morrisons eco compostable all purpose cloths (10 pack) – £1.25
  • Morrisons eco biodegradable multiple use cloths (3 pack) – £1.25

For more information visit www.morrisons.co.uk.  

Betty the basking shark takes up residence at Ocean Terminal

Edinburgh artist Johnathan Elders illustrates the scale of Scotland’s electronic waste
with powerful installation

Reindeer, penguins, and polar bears are the sort of animals you would usually expect to see taking pride of place in a retail display at this time of year. However, one Edinburgh shopping centre is adding a little more ‘bite’ to its seasonal offering with the installation of a powerful new sculpture – Betty the e-waste shark!

The work of Edinburgh artist Johnathan Elders, Betty is a life-sized basking shark which aims to illustrate the sheer scale of Scotland’s electronic waste problem.

The sculpture was created using a range of second-hand electrical devices including more than 200 keyboards and water cooler panels, all of which have been saved from landfill, plus two projector lenses and TV screens which display a hard-hitting film about the true impact of e-waste.

Previously displayed at the National Museum of Scotland, local sustainability campaigner Sara Thomson of The Leith Collective has successfully secured Betty a residency at Ocean Terminal, and the artwork is available to view now.

Created in response to a call-out from the Edinburgh Science Festival, Jonathan had a clear vision of what he hoped the artwork would achieve. Firstly, it needed to demand attention.

He was determined to craft something that was simply too big to be missed, and instantly recognisable in order to create a reaction. Secondly, it needed to be engaging – something that people would want to touch and interact with.

It was also important that the piece was inclusive and accessible in its entirety to people of any height or level of mobility. Finally, it needed to inform viewers of the immense problem of e-waste faced by Scotland. 

Commenting on the piece, Jonathan Elders explains: ‘I chose the basking shark, native to Scotland, as I encountered one as a child whilst on a boat trip to Bass Rock in North Berwick. This moment had a huge impact on me, and it has stayed with me ever since. 

‘I didn’t want to be subtle. As a nation, we have so much to be proud of – like these magnificent creatures – but we also have a massive problem that we’re just not doing enough to address. Like producing such vast quantities of e-waste. 

‘As the footage shows, much of this waste is shipped away to other parts of the world so that we can forget about it. But that needs to stop.’

When asked about the name, Jonathan said: “Betty is the name of a lovely local lady – a total character who knows everybody. She lives overlooking Newhaven Harbour but won’t go anywhere near it because she is scared of the sea. Hence the reason I called the shark Betty, because like the real-life Betty, this shark will never go to the sea!’

Betty the e-waste shark is available to view now at Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh. Guided tours and talks about the artwork are available upon request for schools, clubs, and organisations.

If you are interested in giving Betty the e-waste shark a home after her residency at Ocean Terminal ends, please email info@theleithcollective.com to discuss.

“This is one of the biggest investments in recycling in Scotland in a generation”

£13 million to improve recycling and cut emissions

More than £13 million has been awarded to local authorities to increase the quantity and quality of recycling in Scotland.

Nine more local authorities have successfully bid for support from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund, bringing the total investment to date to £20 million.

The city of Edinburgh will receive £7.7 million for upgrades and expansion to recycling collection services which will see services improved for approximately 130,000 households.

The fund, which will total £70 million over five years, will deliver a step change in Scotland’s recycling performance and help local authorities get ready for future developments, including Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme.

The investment to date could reduce CO2 emissions by as much 21,400 tonnes each year — the equivalent of taking 11,400 cars off the road.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “This is one of the biggest investments in recycling in Scotland in a generation.

“By providing the support that’s needed to modernise local recycling infrastructure, we can help local authorities significantly improve their recycling performance.

“That won’t just make it easier for households to recycle more – it will also make an important contribution to meeting Scotland’s ambitious climate targets.

“I look forward to seeing these projects deliver for local communities and the environment, and to further innovative ideas from local authorities on how they can utilise this fund to improve recycling in their area.

“We also want to see materials remain in use for as long as possible before they are recycled. To help make that happen, we will also be introducing an ambitious Circular Economy Bill during this parliament.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland said: “These awards represent a major new development in Scotland’s recycling story, with nine more impactful projects from across Scotland which make the most of our resources, boosting recycling and the circular economy.

“We’ve been impressed by the thinking from councils and look forward to even more transformational projects being brought forward next year.”

Councillor Steven Heddle, COSLA spokesperson for Environment and Economy said: “Local Government in Scotland is fully committed to combatting climate change and supporting the Just Transition to a net zero society.

“A circular economy is an important part of this.  The Recycling Improvement Fund projects announced today demonstrate the range of work and level of innovation undertaken by Councils here. 

“We are keen to see the full fund supporting a wide range of projects in the next few years that make it easier for our citizens to recycle and reduce waste.” 

The city council has welcomed the announcement.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Environment Convener, said: “We really welcome this funding and endorsement from Zero Waste Scotland for our new modern communal waste and recycling service.

“It’s a significant contribution to our overall delivery budget which will help us provide this improved service to around 130,000 residents who live in shared properties and therefore don’t have our kerbside service. 

“The new convenient hubs make recycling easier and more accessible for residents as we’ve grouped all of the different types of waste bins together.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Environment Vice-Convener, said: “This significant funding shows great support for our new communal bin hubs which provide increased capacity, a more reliable and frequent service as well as reducing overflowing bins and street clutter.

“The funding will also be used for new bin sensors and five new electric vehicles for our fleet helping towards Edinburgh’s net zero ambitions and making improvements to our air quality.”

Dobbies marks ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home’ Day

Dobbies is encouraging people in Edinburgh to think sustainably this Christmas, as they mark ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ (today – 4 December 2021).

Dobbies’ annual ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’ takes place on the first Saturday of December and marks the day most shoppers visit their local garden centre to pick up their real cut or pot grown Christmas trees.

This year, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer has launched a new range of real Christmas trees for every space at its Edinburgh store, making it easier to find the perfect tree no matter your style or budget.

From small trees like the pot grown Picea ‘Conica’, ideal for compact spaces; to the slim grade Nordmann Fir, perfect for tight spots; to the impressive Premium grade Nordmann Fir for large rooms, there is something for every home, so you can do Christmas your way.

This ‘Bring your Christmas Tree Home Day’, Dobbies is encouraging shoppers buying real trees to think ahead about how they can reuse their Christmas centrepiece once the festivities are over.

The garden centre has announced its top tips on how people can repurpose their cut Christmas trees to create a wildlife haven for small animals and insects to shelter in during the winter months and reduce waste in the new year.

This is part of the #SustainableDobbies campaign, in which the retailer raises awareness of sustainable products and practices for customers and supporters.

Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles said: “Choosing a real tree is one of the most-loved Christmas traditions, and on this year’s ‘Bring Your Christmas Tree Home Day’, we want to encourage people in Edinburgh to be mindful of how they can recycle their cut real trees once the festivities are over.

“Cut real Christmas trees can be a great tool when it comes to creating a safe place for wildlife to shelter during the winter months, so we’re delighted to show people how they can make use of their trees once the Christmas decorations have come down.”

Fay Vass, Chief Executive of British Hedgehog Preservation Society said: “We’re delighted that Dobbies are shining a light on ways in which people can create a safe space for hedgehogs and other wildlife in their gardens.

“Hedgehog numbers are in decline, and they have recently been added to the UK Red List as a species that is vulnerable to extinction. We all need to play our part in improving their habitat and we hope people will take advantage of these tips to help create a safe place for wildlife in their gardens.”

Marcus has outlined a step-by-step guide on how people can reuse their real cut Christmas trees to make a wildlife haven in their gardens in the new year:

1.       Remove the tree from your house carefully to stop any loose needles from dropping. Marcus recommends wearing thick gloves to protect your hands.

2.       Using a good quality pair of secateurs, starting from the top remove each branch as close as possible to the main stem.

3.       Stack the branches together four or five pieces high and place onto soil or leaves under large shrubs, trees or hedges.

4.       Repeat this process until all the branches are used. This will provide a great shelter for small animals and insects to protect them from the worst of the winter weather. Marcus points out that the needles and branches will breakdown over time to produce organic matter than will enrich the soil.

5.       For the main trunk of the tree use a pruning saw to cut into 30cm lengths, which can then be stacked to make a mini log pile which is a great habitat for wildlife to shelter in.

Dobbies is encouraging the children who attend its Little Seedlings Club to take the lead in creating wildlife shelters.

Ethan Firth, Dobbies Little Seedling Ambassador, adds: “Christmas is a time to create fond memories and what better way than to keep a memory of Christmas whilst considering the environment and being sustainable all at the same time! 

“I plan to re-pot our family pot-grown Christmas tree and reuse for next Christmas, and the cut Christmas tree in my bedroom I’m going to recycle and make a hedgehog shelter.”

To find out more about Dobbies, visit dobbies.com

To find out more about the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, visit:  britishhedgehogs.org.uk

FedEx moves to lower Edinburgh and Glasgow carbon emissions with e-cargo bike fleet

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. and the world’s largest express transportation company, has introduced a fleet of seven e-cargo bikes to work alongside its vehicle pick-up and delivery fleet in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

As the company sets out to reduce emissions from its road transportation operations, the introduction of cargo bikes in urban centres is one way FedEx is seeking to make an immediate impact on carbon emissions.

FedEx successfully introduced e-cargo bikes to its permanent operations in London, where they have replaced diesel vehicles for serving emissions restricted zones. Edinburgh and Glasgow – cities with a strong cycling culture – become the next UK cities to welcome this method of zero emissions delivery. 

Alun Cornish, FedEx operations managing director in Europe, said: “Electric cargo bikes will fulfill a sustainable last-mile delivery solution for customers in and round Edinburgh and Glasgow City Centres.

“Earlier FedEx pilots in the cities made the case for transitioning to two wheels, proving an effective alternative to vans thanks to their ability to take shorter, faster routes. We see real potential for e-cargo bikes to complement and work alongside our motorised vehicle fleet as we strive to make zero-emissions deliveries our standard.” 

FedEx aims to achieve carbon-neutral operations globally by 2040 with electrification of its pick-up and delivery vehicles being a major area of investment.

In March 2021, FedEx announced its global target for 50% of all newly procured vehicles to be electric by 2025 rising to 100% of all new purchases by 2030.

The roll out of e-cargo bikes is tipped to continue in UK cities beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow, alongside the transition to fully electric vehicles. The sustainability benefits of delivering goods by e-cargo bike include not only reduced carbon emissions but also reduced congestion and noise.

Bicycle couriers can also make use of existing road infrastructure, such as bicycle and bus lanes, and are able to find kerbside parking more easily than vans – particularly in hard to access areas.

The implementation of e-cargo bikes to operations in Edinburgh and Glasgow promotes the livability of dense urban areas as demand for deliveries continues to rise alongside the need to reduce the environmental impacts of transportation.

Morrisons to reduce soya use on road to carbon neutral eggs

– Better Origin insect ‘mini farms’ to be installed on 10 Morrisons egg farms to provide natural food for free range hens – 

– Reducing soya from 10 farms’ feed would remove 5,737 tonnes of CO² and save 56 hectares of South American land from deforestation every year –

Morrisons will reduce the use of soya feed at 10 of its free range egg farms as it works towards becoming the first supermarket to launch own brand carbon neutral eggs in 2022.

New Better Origin insect ‘mini farms’ will be introduced onto the UK egg farms to feed the hens, who will also receive a supplementary diet of British beans, peas and sunflower seeds. The ‘mini farm’ containers, in which millions of insects are kept, will provide nutrient rich and natural food for the hens.

The insects will be fed on waste from Morrisons own fruit and veg site in Yorkshire – creating one of the UK’s first ‘circular waste’ feeding schemes within the same company to produce food. Over 30 tonnes of fruit and veg waste will be recycled each week. 

Soya currently accounts for 10-20% of hens’ normal diets. Up to 70% of the emissions from the UK’s supply chain[1] is attributed to feed, of which soya is a major contributor. Reducing soya and feeding insects food waste on these 10 farms alone is expected to save 56 hectares of South American land from deforestation every year, where half of the world’s soybean is currently farmed. It will also reduce CO² emissions by 5,737 tonnes and save  40 billion litres of water annually[2]. 

Morrisons expects the first carbon neutral eggs to arrive on its shelves in 2022. This will be followed by carbon neutral options for fruit, vegetables and meat in the coming years as a result of its commitment to be supplied only by net zero British farms by 2030.

The insect units have been developed by agritech company Better Origin. Each container can help feed 32,000 free range hens and will receive three tonnes of waste from Morrisons fruit and vegetable site each week. The insects can grow to 5,000 times their initial body mass in less than 14 days. Collectively the 10 containers will feed 320,000 free range hens who lay millions of eggs a year. 

Insects are a natural part of birds’ ancestral diets and wild birds seek out insects as they forage. Studies by Better Origin and the Universities of Bristol and Turin have found that insect feed improves bird health and welfare. The insects are nutritious and rich in essential amino acids and healthy fats. They have no impact on the quality, taste or shelf life of the hens’ eggs.

Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture at Morrisons, said: “Reducing soya from livestock feed is one of the key challenges for farms needing to lower their carbon footprint and we wanted to help find a solution.

“An insect diet could suit our hens better – they seem to enjoy it  – and the nutritional and added health benefits are notable. We’re also finding a good home for our fruit and veg waste. We think that this could be part of the future of egg farming.”

Fotis Fotiadis, CEO and Founder of Better Origin, said: “We are delighted to be working with Morrisons to decarbonise their food supply chain and reduce soya reliance. 

“Our vision is for the initial rollout to scale across all Morrisons egg farms which would reduce 40,180 tonnes of CO²-eq per year. Achieving Net Zero is a massive challenge that needs collaboration and determination, and we hope this is the year that more food providers and producers take meaningful action.”

Morrisons has embarked on a programme to be completely supplied by net zero carbon British farms[3] by 2030, five years ahead of the market. 

Over the next nine years, Morrisons is working with its 3,000 farmers and growers to produce affordable ‘net zero’ carbon meat, poultry, fruit and vegetables. As part of the programme, Morrisons will also work with universities, farming and countryside organisations and carbon experts.

[1] For chicken

2 Which equates to over 16,000 Olympic size swimming pools

3 Who supply into Morrisons food making sites