Background
Managing food waste is a growing challenge for schools operating large-scale commercial kitchens. At a busy co-educational boarding school in North Yorkshire, catering teams prepare meals for hundreds of students each day, generating significant volumes of food waste.
With sustainability high on the agenda, the school needed a commercial food waste management solution that would reduce reliance on landfill, improve efficiency in the kitchen and deliver long-term cost savings – without adding complexity for staff.
The challenge: food waste digesters not fit for purpose
Before working with Agecko, the school relied on water-based food waste digesters to process catering waste. While intended as an on-site solution, the systems quickly proved unsuitable for a high-demand school kitchen environment.
Key challenges included:
- Restricted loading times, limiting flexibility for kitchen staff.
- High labour requirements, disrupting daily workflows.
- Ongoing costs for enzymes and consumables.
- Excessive water usage.
- Poor reliability, with frequent blade jams and breakdowns.
As a result, not all food waste could be processed on site and some waste continued to be sent to landfill. It became clear the school required a reliable, waterless alternative to traditional digesters.
The solution: commercial food waste drying technology
Agecko carried out a site assessment and designed a bespoke food waste management solution for schools, tailored to the kitchen layout and operational demands.
The solution included:
- One AG500 food waste dryer installed in the main kitchen.
- One AG300 food waste dryer located near the external bin area.
Agecko’s AG Series commercial food waste dryers provide on-site treatment that significantly reduces food waste volume without the need for water or enzymes. Food waste can be loaded continuously throughout the day, making the system simple to operate and ideal for busy catering environments.
This approach supports compliant, sustainable food waste disposal and recycling, while eliminating many of the maintenance and operational issues associated with digesters.
The results: reduced waste, lower costs and improved efficiency
The new food waste drying system delivered immediate operational, financial and environmental benefits:
- Significant reduction in food waste volume, converting wet waste into a dry, lightweight material.
- Elimination of water and enzyme use, reducing ongoing operational costs.
- Improved reliability, with no blades or cutting mechanisms to maintain.
- Simplified operation, improving staff efficiency in the kitchen.
- Reduced reliance on landfill, supporting sustainable food waste management targets.
- Dried food waste collected in dolavs and sent for anaerobic digestion, supporting circular economy principles.
Supporting sustainable food waste management in education
By replacing water-based digesters with Agecko’s commercial food waste drying technology, the school has transformed its approach to managing catering waste.
The solution provides a reliable, low-maintenance and environmentally responsible option for schools and educational institutions looking to reduce costs, improve efficiency and meet sustainability and carbon reduction targets.
Looking to improve food waste management in your school or commercial kitchen? Speak to our team about food waste audits and tailored on-site solutions.
