A decade ago just eight per cent of waste generated at St James’ Market was recycled.

At that time Yorkshire’s largest local authority run fruit and vegetable market on Essex Street off Wakefield Road, produced more than 1,500 tonnes of waste.

Today’s statistics are in stark contrast: this year it is expected that just a fraction of that - 175 tonnes - of waste will be generated and 80 per cent of this will be recycled.

This has achieved through hard work and commitment from Bradford Council and the market Tenants’ Association. “Tenants help by separating as much of the recyclable material as possible,” says markets’ manager Colin Wolstenholme, “Council staff will further sort the material into each waste stream so that only the waste that cannot be recycled is sent to landfill.”

“This year we estimate that our annual waste sent to landfill will reduce from 325 tonnes last year to 175 tonnes - an impressive reduction of 150 tonnes or 46 per cent. This has been achieved by diverting much of organic waste - unsold fruit and vegetables - from landfill. This is sent to a processing plant to turn into compost and energy.”

Last year 65 per cent was recycled from the market’s 66 units, occupied by 35 traders selling fruit and vegetables from across the world.

The market generates cardboard, plastic boxes, plastic shrink wrap, wooden pallets and boxes and unsold fruit and vegetables.

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Specialist machines produce bales of cardboard, plastics and wood, which are transported to a holding area for collection by waste contractors, while large containers are used to store unsold fruit and vegetables that is sent for composting or turning into energy.

Cardboard is sent to a local paper mill for reprocessing and other contractors take plastic waste to reprocess as well as organic waste for composting. Wooden pallets are collected, repaired and reused.

Traders see the benefits in reduced costs. Explains Colin: “We have a ‘pay as you throw’ system where tenants’ waste is weighed and charged - the more they recycle the cheaper their costs.

The market relays its green message across the district. As part of Bradford District Food Strategy a good food advice stall was opened in one of the city centre markets, giving information on growing vegetables to preparing healthy recipes and disposing of food waste in an environmentally friendly way. “The wholesale market is a key player in promoting the value of fresh foods,” says Colin.

St James also works with Bradford Education Service to arrange visits to the market. In an on-site classroom, youngsters are taught about the journey of fresh food from farm to fork.

“It has been a long road but it has been satisfying for the traders and the Council. The cost of waste disposal was one of the highest costs. Traders have seen the benefits quite quickly.

In the past six months around £15,000 has been saved through not sending material to landfill.

“We continue to show improvements and continue to look at ways to make it easier to recycle. We eventually want to get to a point where all waste is recycled.

At present some materials, such as polystyrene is not recycled. “Overall we would like to achieve a 100 per cent recycle,” says Colin.

There has to be a balance between the cost and labour of recycling and the savings it would achieve, with storage capacity being another consideration.

“It is the only way forward as costs to landfill will continue to increase. It is not only a financial responsibility but a moral one.”

Chairman of St James’ Market Tenants’ Association Zafar Butt, has been recycling waste for several years. “We have three huge bins, one for plastics, one for cardboard, one for hard plastics and a smaller bin for plastic strapping.”

Zafar’s company AR Butt is one of the market’s main suppliers of Asian produce and salad foods.

“Recycling saves us money. If we didn’t break anything down it would go to landfill and we would have to pay costs. Instead of being a cost it is now an income and helps the environment. If we did not do this our service charge would be double what it is.

“The tenants are recycling as much as possible. Together we have gone from having eight skips for landfill emptied in a month to one every six weeks.”

Market superintendent Andrew Barnes says: “In January we did not have a single collection - we went almost seven weeks without.

We want to get the traders to think about what they are throwing away and about what is going to landfill.”