Lowering Disposal Costs for Troy Foods

Like many food manufacturers, Troy Foods faced a set of issues often seen in high-volume, fast-moving production environments:

Contaminated general waste compactor

Their main compactor was heavily contaminated with food waste, soiled packaging, and residue. This caused:

• Rejected collections that created waste backlogs
• Minimal recycling performance
• Higher operational costs
• Service inconsistency due to re-handling and manual sorting

Poor segregation across the site

Significant volumes of food waste and cardboard were being disposed of as general waste. This created high contamination levels, unnecessary costs, and limited access to rebates.

Unpredictable service and limited oversight

Because waste streams were mixed and compacted loads were difficult to process, the quality of service fluctuated, making long-term planning challenging.

These issues made it difficult for Troy Foods to demonstrate environmental responsibility or make progress towards higher recycling targets.

Following several walk rounds and controlled tip checks, Business Waste developed a more efficient and sustainable setup tailored to a busy food production environment.

What we put in place

• A dedicated food skip
  This immediately reduced contamination in the compactor and cut the number of general waste collections. As a result, Troy Foods lowered disposal costs and reduced the carbon footprint associated with transport movements.
• Stricter factory and yard segregation measures
  We worked closely with the site to introduce clear segregation points and ensure staff understood how to separate waste correctly across both sites.
• A baler for cardboard recycling
  Before this, cardboard was leaving their sites as general waste. The baler now allows the site to divert this material efficiently and unlock higher rebates.
• Two new compactors
  One replaced an old and inefficient unit. The other was a brand-new installation. Both reduce the volume of general waste, cut collection frequency, and improve compliance.

All changes were delivered over a four to six-week period with minimal disruption to production.

Our improvements helped Troy Foods achieve a cleaner, more compliant, and more efficient waste operation.

Measured outcomes

• No further contamination issues
  The general waste stream is now clean, stable, and fully compliant.
• Lower disposal costs
  Fewer collections were required once food waste was removed from the compactor stream.
• Higher recycling rate
  Cardboard is now baled for rebates, and segregated food waste is processed correctly.
• Reduced carbon footprint
  Collection frequency dropped thanks to improved equipment and better waste separation.
• More reliable service
  Improved segregation and modern equipment removed the unpredictability caused by the previous setup.

Overall, Troy Foods now benefits from a waste system that supports daily operations, meets compliance standards, and delivers long-term cost efficiencies.

By addressing the root causes of contamination and poor segregation, Business Waste has helped Troy Foods implement a simpler, more sustainable waste strategy across both Leeds sites. The business now operates with cleaner waste streams, reduced costs, and greater confidence in its recycling performance.