A primary school near Abergavenny has become one of the country’s first to host a sustainable food pilot aimed at reducing waste and improving environmental awareness.

Llanfoist Fawr Primary school now has an innovative two-step composting system, which combines bokashi fermentation - an anaerobic form of composting - with a Ridan food waste composter. This means that food waste is already in a pre-compost stage before being added to the heap.

“We’re delighted to support Llanfoist Fawr Primary School in trialling this innovative composting approach,” said Cllr Sara Burch, Monmouthshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Housing and Tourism.

“It’s a fantastic example of how schools can lead the way in sustainability while engaging children in meaningful, hands-on environmental learning.”

The project is delivered in collaboration between the Monmouthshire Food Partnership and the Shared Prosperity Fund, with the delivery of the pilot led by Agriton UK, which specialises in this type of composting system.

Part of the process involves using a specially inoculated bran to treat food waste like cooked food, fairy and small amounts of meat which is sealed and fermented. This deters against pests, prevents odours and suppresses harmful methane emissions, allowing waste which would otherwise be unsuitable to be composted.

The school is celebrating a long-standing commitment to reducing waste and improving environmental awareness among pupils.

It was feedback from pupils themselves that contributed to further action being taken. During monitoring of lunchtime waste, pupils identified that a significant volume of cooked food and plate scrapings, which cannot be added to conventional compost bins, was being thrown away.

This prompted the school to explore alternative solutions that could safely and effectively divert this waste from disposal, while also introducing an educational process for pupils to engage with circular food s