Vegetable producers can now generate new income streams while reducing waste disposal costs and environmental impacts by using an innovative processing machine.

Aimed at horticultural growers who package on-site, the revolutionary machine – which is already proven in other sectors - can sort the packaging from surplus fresh produce. This allows waste vegetables to be used as animal feed or for anaerobic digestion, while the plastic can be recycled.

"If a farmer has packaged up vegetables to go to the supermarket, and for whatever reason they're rejected, they have a huge waste problem to deal with," explains Matthew Rowan, director at Rowan Food and Biomass Engineering. "Farmers usually pay to outsource waste management, but they could be doing it themselves on site – removing this expense."

The output from the machine can be used as feed or in anaerobic digesters – helping to create a circular system. "There could be an AD plant on-site, or at a local farm that needs feedstock – offering another revenue stream from what would otherwise have been wasted," he says.

The Dominator ER machine comes from Dominator Depackaging, by Rowan Food and Biomass Engineering, which specialises in waste depackaging across various industries like food, pharmaceuticals, retail and plastics. "We have supplied over 100 machines to different industries around the world throughout the supply chain," notes Phil Rowan, director at Rowan Food and Biomass Engineering.

These are often big machines capable of handling 200 to 300 tonnes of waste a week. "We recognised that we could provide help earlier in the chain, and support farmers in waste management. So with that in mind, we're now offering a smaller machine for farms, which can handle 10 to 20 tonnes of waste per week."

The machine is already being used to depackage grow bags in the horticulture sector. "Once the plant has been removed from the bag, farmers are left with a bag full of compost, which has to be thrown away," says Phil. "But the machine removes the plastic from the compost, so the compost can be used elsewhere, and the plastic recycled."

Another client – one of the UK's largest pet food manufacturers - was disposing of 30 tonnes of pet food waste every week. It had previously managed waste off-site, however, due to disposal fees and transport costs, it wanted a long-term solution.

With the Dominator ER, all waste is now handled on-site, reducing disposal costs and emissions, and improving operational control, with a projected return on investment of under 12 months.

The mobile machine can be shared between sites or leased, says Matthew. "This really can be an answer to addressing food waste problems within farming, while providing a diversification opportunity and environmental benefits across the sector."

·       The machine will be on display at the Saveco stand (stand 6.910) at LAMMA on 14-15 January 2026, at the NEC, Birmingham. For more information visit: www.dominator-depackaging.com