Wight Salads, the UK’s largest organic tomato grower, was spending in excess of £200,000 per annum on waste streams including old tomato plants, grow bags, polythene and cardboard.

The company produces vast quantities of waste every year from its 271 hectares of greenhouses but, 50% of that annual waste, a staggering 1,000 tonnes, is produced in just one month during a period called ‘turnaround’ when all of the greenhouses are completely cleared of old plants, the grow bags they grow in and the polythene floor and anticondensation wall lining.

ACM conducted recycling trials for Wight Salads and during this trial period saved the company 41% on its waste management costs. On the strength of the results a 3 year contract has been signed to ensure ongoing improvements. Three compactors and a baler have been supplied to their operations in Kent together with a specifically designed and built sealed, leak proof container for the transport of waste tomatoes.

Now that ACM is handling Wight Salads’ waste management, the company can get on with its core business of growing tomatoes – all 25 million kilos of them every year.

Tackling this waste management challenge has been a fantastic achievement for ACM, we have helped Wight Salads to reduce their costs and dramatically improve their environmental performance. And, now that all their waste is being composted or recycled Wight Salads can call itself a truly green and organic company.