This Sainsbury's is cleverly powered by its own food waste

It's the first time a major supermarket store has come off the National Grid.

This Sainsbury's is cleverly powered by its own food waste

A Sainsbury’s store in England has become the first major supermarket to come off the National Grid.

The Cannock branch of the UK supermarket chain is now being run on electricity generated from its own recycled food waste.

Any food waste from Sainsbury’s supermarkets across the UK - that cannot be donated to local charities or turned into animal feed - is sent a nearby anaerobic digestion plant run by waste management company Biffa.

There, the waste is broken down by microorganisms who produce biomethane gas which is then used to power the store. The electricity is carried along a new 1.5km cable linking the plant to the store and creating a closed loop of food recycling.

Pretty clever, isn't it?

Here's a handy infographic explaining the process

Sainsbury’s send zero operational waste to landfill - all general waste from stores is recycled or turned into fuel. Paul Crewe, head of sustainability at Sainsbury's, told the BBC that they are committed to the project.

"Sainsbury's sends absolutely no waste to landfill and we're always looking for new ways to re-use and recycle," he said.

"We're delighted to be the first business ever to make use of this link-up technology, allowing our Cannock store to be powered entirely by our food waste."

While the model may not work everywhere, it's still a great idea and will maybe inspire others to think outside the box when it comes to waste management.

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