A Closed Loop Circular Economy

A Circular Story

ABP’s renewables division, Olleco, is dedicated to recovering value in what would otherwise be considered waste. The company collects food waste and cooking oil from the food service sector in Ireland and the UK, all in the aid of supporting sustainable production methods. Used cooking oil, collected by Olleco, is transformed into bio-methane, electricity, heat and organic fertilizer. As well as day to day work, the division also undertake pioneering projects with partners looking to improve their own sustainable food production.

Olleco, McDonald’s & Arla

One innovative project has been the development of a transformational ‘closed loop’ circular economy model for Arla Foods, at the company’s Aylesbury site, and with McDonald’s. The pioneering model involves collecting cooking oil and food waste from McDonald’s restaurants, which is then converted into bio-fuel and renewable energy used to power the company’s transport fleet. The digestate by-product from the energy generation process is also applied back to farmland at the start of the supply chain, closing the loop. A truly successful solution that can be applied to wider farmland in the community for sustainable meat production.