This project supported a food waste recycling operation in America by providing a practical depackaging solution designed to separate organic material from its packaging before onward processing.
The customer was receiving expired or out-of-spec food products that had previously been sent to landfill, creating an opportunity to recover valuable organic material instead of disposing of it as waste. With anaerobic digestion and food waste diversion continuing to grow across the United States, effective preprocessing is essential to help operators recover more usable feedstock and reduce contamination.
Project at a glance
– Industry: Food Waste Recycling
– Location: United States
– Application: Depackaging expired and out-of-spec packaged food waste
– Solution: Rowan Food Depackaging System with Screw Press
– Processing Capacity: Up to 15 m³/hr
Key benefits
– Diverted packaged food waste away from landfill
– Recovered valuable organic material for onward recycling
– Processed up to 15 m³/hr of mixed packaged food waste
The solution
A depackaging system was supplied to separate the expired and out-of-spec food waste from its packaging in a controlled and efficient process. The solution was selected to handle variable waste streams while maximising organic recovery and minimising packaging contamination. The machinery is able to process up to 15 m³/hr, giving the customer the capacity needed to manage high volumes of incoming material efficiently.
After depackaging, the recovered food waste was then passed through a screw press to squeeze the material and remove as much water as possible. This additional stage helped reduce the moisture content of the product, making the recovered material easier to handle, store, and transport. By integrating depackaging and dewatering at the front end of the process, the operator could divert material away from landfill and produce a cleaner, more manageable organic output suitable for onward recycling, such as anaerobic digestion or other food waste treatment routes.
The outcome
The project provided the customer with a more efficient route for handling packaged food waste, improving the recovery of organic material and helping reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Instead of treating expired or out-of-spec food as a disposal problem, the customer was able to unlock value from the organic fraction and support a more circular approach to food waste management. With the machinery able to process up to 15 m³/hr, the customer gained a high-capacity solution capable of supporting consistent, large-scale operation. The cleaner output supported downstream processing, while the removal of packaging helped protect equipment and improve overall process reliability. The screw press stage further improved the process by removing excess water from the recovered food waste, reducing the volume and weight of the material and making it easier to manage.
The result was a robust depackaging and dewatering solution that supported the customer’s sustainability goals and strengthened their food waste recycling capability in the American market.
