ECO SUCCESS: Victoria Leeds’ Coffee Bean Recycling scheme
Shopping centre reveals up to 50 kgs of coffee waste has been repurposed as soil enricher, resulting in almost 90 per cent of Victoria Leeds’ waste now being recycled
In a bid to reduce waste while lowering its carbon footprint and increasing its commitment to recycling, Victoria Leeds has recently unveiled a new scheme involving coffee bean composting. This innovative project, which sees coffee grounds reused as fertiliser, is part of the centre’s wider initiative to improve the shopping centre’s environmental contribution.
Coffee grounds have been shown to be an excellent soil enricher (as well as perking up our mornings!), which in turn is helping Victoria Leeds’ greenery to thrive. In a move backed by the council, Victoria Leeds began collecting used coffee grounds on a daily basis throughout August to use on external planting areas. In the first month, 50 kgs of waste was rescued and put to good use, allowing Victoria’s flower beds to flourish with a much-needed caffeine fix.
Pret a Manger and Le Pain Quotidien are two of Victoria’s coffee outlets who have joined the centre in the eco-friendly venture, reducing their own waste as well as providing the centre’s flora and fauna with a helping hand.
Jo Coburn, General Manager at Victoria Leeds commented: “We are thrilled to announce our new coffee ground recycling plan, which has already yielded such positive results in reducing our waste, lowering our carbon footprint by taking waste collection vehicles off the road, and helping our plants and flower beds to flourish. We continue to collaborate closely with our retailers to ensure we are doing all we can to reduce waste throughout the centre.”
The coffee ground recycling scheme has helped the centre to achieve its highest recycling figures of the year, with just over 88 per cent of our operational waste now being recycled. This figure is set to rise moving in to 2019, as Victoria Leeds continues to look for new, innovate ways to reduce our environmental impacts, along with the wider Hammerson group.
In the meantime, you can help the Victoria Leeds recycling scheme by visiting the centre for your morning coffee (in a reusable cup!) at all participating retailers.
