New Spitalfields Market was highly commended for its green credentials as part of WUWM’s first set of awards, revealed last week.
The three categories - Community Support, Environmental Sustainability and Market Innovation - were open to all WUWM member markets.
The London market just missed the top green prize, but the judges were so impressed by the entry that they gave the market special recognition.
David Smith, director of markets at the Corporation of London, said: “Three years ago, we recycled five per cent of our waste and we decided we needed to do better, both to be more sustainable and to save money, because the costs of landfill and transport to the site are rising.
“The first thing we did was to consult our tenants. We set up a recycling area and even though we still get through 12,000 tonnes of rubbish ever year, we now recycle 65 per cent.”
Some 2,100t of cardboard are recycled every year and timber pallets are recycled if they cannot be repaired on site. Around 2,500t of organic waste is separated and anaerobically digested.
The Community Support Award was given to Garak Market in Seoul, South Korea, where all members of the workforce work with the community at different times.
Sydney Market, Australia, won the Environmental Sustainability Award for its constant green assessments and its success in increasing recycling from 15 per cent to 50 per cent in three years.
The Market Innovation Award went to Hamburg Wholesale Market, which has built a school laboratory, a pesticide laboratory and an additive museum in the last year.
A new set of awards will run next year, with gold, silver and bronze prizes likely to be given.
