Lambeth Council has adopted a groundbreaking local solution to the UK’s food waste crisis ... with major gains for the carbon balance.

The London borough will now recycle domestic food waste at Vertal's innovative treatment facility in neighbouring Mitcham, where cutting-edge technology is used to achieve optimal carbon positivity.

Vertal’s process transforms kitchen waste into a nutrient-rich agricultural fertiliser, directly replacing the petrochemicals currently used to grow crops. In 2008, British farmers consumed an estimated £1.5 billion in chemicals derived from oil and gas.

The scheme therefore allows householders in Lambeth to make a major positive impact on their carbon balance ... as well as reduce harmful emissions.

Currently, most of the UK’s 20 million tonnes of annual food waste goes to landfill, where it decomposes to release environmentally-damaging methane gas.

Vertal’s technology - which has been developed in the UK - harnesses the natural heat released during composting to pasteurise organic waste under its own steam.

The process is compact and highly efficient, so can be installed on urban industrial estates, close to sources of waste. Collections from Lambeth will typically travel just three miles.

"This is an important new service," said Cllr Sally Prentice, Cabinet Member for Environment on Lambeth Council.

"Recycling rates have increased significantly in Lambeth over the past few years as we have rolled out new services that allow people to recycle more and more materials.

"Adopting the Vertal process means that organic waste does not go to landfill, but is instead put to the very best use - growing our next meal."

Vertal’s founder and managing director, Leon Mekitarian said: "We’re delighted that Lambeth has been so quick to recognise the huge environmental advantages of our process - both in redressing the carbon balance and in slashing road congestion and pollution.

"Food waste is a massive problem in every London borough. We have the solution."