Arla Foods and Biffa have worked together for a number of years, but the relationship moved into a new phase during the development of the flagship plant, when Biffa put forward a radical proposal to help Arla Foods achieve its ambitious environmental targets.

Arla Foods’ environmental plans include zero waste to landfill, incorporating 30% recycled plastic in its milk bottles by 2015 (50% by 2020) and ensuring 30% of the dairy’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2020.

Biffa recommended the installation of a number of in-plant innovations, including a revolutionary machine that crushes milk bottles, feeding milk to an anaerobic digestion tank and plastic to a baler. The plastics are collected and recycled by Biffa Polymers’ facility in Redcar. Biffa then supplies the recycled plastic to a milk bottle manufacturer which, in turn, supplies to Arla Foods, delivering a closed-loop system.

Other tools introduced by the Biffa team include a bin lifter constructed from stainless steel to protect it from the corrosion caused by milk acidity, large-scale source separation of milk bottles; and a fully galvanised plastics baler and card/polythene baler – installed in August 2013.

Daryl Grace, Biffa Corporate Account Manager (pictured left), used his close working knowledge of Arla Foods to find a solution that would work for the world’s third-largest dairy cooperative. He explained: “Arla Foods is committed to using advanced process technologies and renewable energies, so I began to investigate what was out there and they were impressed with what they saw. We’ve now been able to give them low-carbon energy generation and closed-loop recycling.”

Kathy Atkinson, EHS Coordinator, Arla Foods Aylesbury, said: “We want to be industry leading in everything we do; an ethos that applies to our approach to waste management. Biffa showed a real understanding of what we’re aiming to achieve and we’re delighted with its innovative solutions, which are already starting to produce fantastic results.”