Fairfield - Background Information
Fairfield - a social enterprise based in Manchester - has established the UK's first sustainable waste management system to operate on a wholesale market.
Unlike the claims made by many organisations, we truly are environmentally focused - this is our reason for being.
Using Vertical Composting Unit (VCU), in-vessel technology, we have diverted over 6,500 tonnes of market waste away from landfill.
In the first six months of operation Fairfield was recognised as the most innovative social enterprise within this sector by The Composting Association.
By processing vegetable, fruit, plant and green waste, we are able to produce a quality compost for a wide range of applications - landscaping, land reclamation, soil remediation, turf improvement, large-scale urban landscaping, allotments, gardens, agriculture, erosion control, nurseries and flood defence.
By diverting thousands of tonnes of fruit and veg waste per year away from landfill, Fairfield has helped New Smithfield Market to reduce the number of large skips leaving the market site per day, from 12 large containers...to just one 240 litre bin. As a natural and positive consequence, this has cut down on the number of heavy wagons polluting our environment.
99.5% of waste material received from the wholesale market is now being recycled, meaning that Fairfield is well on the way to reaching its zero waste target for the whole site.
Brief History
Our existence and mission stems from the determination of a middle-aged woman, frustrated at seeing the amount of organic waste material that was being transported many miles, simply to be dumped into landfill. Val Rawlinson is the inspiration behind Fairfield Materials Management, but now confines her activities to educating the residents of East Manchester about the environmental benefits of home composting.
Fairfield's success demonstrates that the will, motivation and vision of committed and concerned individuals really can make change happen. We're now running a well-known and well-liked organisation within Greater Manchester and have absolutely no intention of selling compost beyond the city's boundaries. After all, it really wouldn't make any environmental sense to do so.
Why journalists should talk to Fairfield Materials Management?
We'll give you information about:
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the environmental case for sound green waste management and composting...(and recycling in general)
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the background to the landfill directive
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operating as a social enterprise in an important and growing industry
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those difficult compost and composting dilemmas
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advice on how to apply compost in different applications
Media Contacts
Helen Middleton, Marketing Manager - Tel: 0161 231 2139,
or Emma Smith, Project Manager - Tel: 0161 231 2139
