A FOOD recycling company that started up two years ago in St Leonards has processed 40,000 tonnes of waste in the last 12 months – equivalent to 1,410,960,000 bread rolls.

Eco Food Recycling’s remarkable growth has seen turnover increase by 80 per cent in the first half of this year.

The firm was set up by two former professional sportsmen – Andy Jones, who played football for Wales, and Simon Heaps, an ex-European table tennis champion.

They now have a rapidly-expanding fleet of vehicles at their base in Wayside Road, despite starting up with one small van.

Most of the discarded food is taken to anaerobic digestion plants where it is turned into energy.

The company collects from a range of sectors including hotels, restaurants, pubs, food producers, leisure and theme parks, shopping centres, universities, colleges, schools and company canteens.

Among its clients are some household names, including Waitrose, and it was recently was chosen as the subject of a documentary made by China Central Television, which has a billion viewers.

According to the Government-funded WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), a total of 8.3 million tonnes of food waste is thrown out by households alone each year.

Commercial enterprises are increasingly recycling their food waste due to their corporate social responsibility policies and impending legislation.

Director Simon Heaps, 57, said: “Andy and I are overwhelmed by the success that we have had since we started.

“We both knew that hard work would be essential for the success of our business and we have had to re-evaluate our business plan on a number of occasions as new clients have approached us to have their food waste collected.

“Companies are now realising having their food waste collected makes them fully compliant with the “waste hierarchy” rules, which state that all waste must be recycled where possible, as opposed to going to landfill.

“It also helps them with their Corporate Social Responsibility policies as well as improving the environment for our children and future generations.

“Nearly all companies have waste recycling targets and a mandate to reduce their carbon footprint.

“Food is the heaviest waste stream and in most cases the only thing left to recycle.

“By diverting this waste stream from landfill, companies can hit their recycling targets and reduce their carbon footprint.”