Meet Andrew Turton, the newest addition to the Wastewise team as the site manager at our in-vessel composting facility in Willerby, near Hull. Andrew brings a refreshing perspective, having transitioned from managing farms to overseeing organic waste management.

Earlier this year, Andrew left his role overseeing a 4,000-acre farm in Essex, to join Wastewise, which is located closer to his family in Yorkshire.

For Andrew, there are significant parallels between agricultural farm management and running a composting facility, and he brings a wealth of experience, having previously managed a 40,000-acre farm in West Australia, near Perth. He finds immense satisfaction in collaborating with the local farming community in Yorkshire, advocating for the benefits of using Wastewise’s BSI PAS 100 certified compost to enhance agricultural land organically and reduce reliance on fertilisers. While the concept of natural compost for agricultural purposes is still emerging among local farmers, Andrew is optimistic about its growing awareness and anticipates significant progress in the coming decade. This vision drives his passion for his new role.

As site manager, Andrew’s responsibilities are diverse. He oversees a team of ten, split between the in-vessel composting (IVC) and the aerobic static pile (ASP) sites. Andrew’s focus revolves around maintaining seamless operations and refining the composting process to yield top-quality output. He emphasises the importance of active management in the composting process, stating, “While composting is a natural process, there’s plenty we can do to regulate and oversee it to ensure we produce the highest quality compost. This entails closely monitoring and adjusting the temperature and moisture levels at different stages of the process.”

Andrew also works closely with regulatory agencies, particularly the Environmental Agency, to ensure compliance with permits and regulations while striving for continuous improvement. A lot has been done over the last year to ensure Wastewise uses the best available techniques, and Andrew, along with the senior management team, will be monitoring its success over the next 12-months and identifying any new measures that can be taken to improve efficiency.

Despite being relatively new to the role, Andrew anticipates his greatest challenge will come during the peak season, in the summer, when the volume of incoming waste increases. Currently, he’s proactively exploring efficiencies to ensure swift and effective processing and removal of materials.

Outside of work, Andrew is an avid sports enthusiast. A former rugby player, Andrew still enjoys spectating, but now pursues slightly less physically challenging sports in the local countryside.

His advice for anyone considering pursuing a career in organics management/composting? “It feels good to be working on a project that puts something back into the land. Over the next few years, I believe we’ll witness a significant shift towards utilising natural land enhancers. With the increasing necessity to manage organic waste more effectively, this industry is primed for substantial growth and brimming with opportunities.”