Plant Crop Waste and Valorisation in South East England

The report explores the untapped potential of horticultural by-products in the South East to drive a biobased circular economy.

Plant Crop Waste Valorisation in South East England.pdf

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This report addresses a critical inefficiency in our current food system: globally, an estimated 45% of fruit and vegetables are lost or wasted. With the South East’s high concentration of horticulture, this represents a massive volume of underutilised biomass – from fruit skins to pruning residues – that could be diverted from landfill.

The analysis identifies how these waste streams can be transformed into high-value assets. It examines the feasibility of recovering valuable compounds, such as polyphenols and essential oils, for use in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries.

The report sets out key findings and opportunities, including:

• High-Value Valorisation: Extracting bioactive compounds from waste streams like apple pomace and cherry stones offers significant revenue potential.

• Volume Solutions: Lower-value, high-volume residues (such as straw) are identified as viable feedstocks for bioenergy and sustainable packaging.

• Infrastructure Gaps: The region currently lacks the specific collection and processing infrastructure required to scale these solutions.

• Collaboration: Success depends on connecting primary growers directly with bio-refining innovators to close the supply chain loop.