Fact
Every year in the UK, we throw away over 28 million tonnes of rubbish from our homes. This weighs the same as three and a half million double-decker buses. A queue of buses that would go around the world one and a half times.
The answers we provide
BiogenGreenfinch is the UK market leader in anaerobic digestion (AD) – a system well suited to the needs of the whole of the food industry (from large food producers and retailers to hotels, caterers and village pubs) because it is versatile, green, cost effective and eliminates landfill.
AD can be used for a variety of wastes and is an approved means of disposing of animal by-products. Our British technology can deal with waste in almost any form:
- Packaged or unpackaged.
- Solid, liquid, sludge
- Out-of-date and damaged foods from retailers and supermarkets.
- Food waste from restaurants, pubs and hotels, offices, hospitals and schools.
- Domestic kitchen food waste.
- Food processing waste.
- Animal by-products.
Our solution, your benefit
At BiogenGreenfinch, we can provide a complete food waste treatment service for you using one of our own AD plants. This applies to any organisation involved with the making, selling and provision of food, no matter how large or small or where located.
It works on the basis of a partnership between your organisation and either ourselves or your nominated authorised waste contractor(s) to the benefit of all: you want an environmentally friendly and cost effective method of waste disposal – we can take your waste materials and dispose of them in a wholly environmentally satisfactory way. With our AD plants, landfill is history.
In addition to partnerships with major retailers, food producers, caterers and authorised waste contractors, we also work with 12 local authorities, both urban and rural, who send household source- separated food waste and commercial food waste to our AD plants.
Other benefits include meeting numerous statuary regulations and potentially a significant reduction in your food miles. It also demonstrates to customers, staff, shareholders, suppliers, neighbours and the media that you are environmentally aware and have taken positive steps in the elimination of material you send to landfill.
How anaerobic digestion works
Anaerobic digestion – AD for short – is a series of low carbon processes in which micro-organisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen, in our case using the mesophilic process at temperatures of 35 to 40°C. As part of an integrated waste management system, AD significantly reduces the amount of waste going to landfill and, thereby, the emission of landfill gas into the atmosphere.
- AD is also a source of renewable energy – the process produces a methane rich biogas that can be used to generate clean, green energy, replacing fossil fuels. The residual material is a liquid, rich in nutrients, that is used as a biofertiliser.
- AD is a proven technology widely supported by Government and environmental organisations.
AD is cost comparable to other recycling technologies – indeed, a Eunomia report for WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) stated: ‘It is the most cost effective and environmentally sustainable way of diverting food waste from landfill.’
Renewable Energy
Over 90% of the renewable electricity produced from an AD plant can exported to consumers or to the grid. Our Westwood AD plant produces 2.1MW of clean electricity – enough to power 3,600 homes. A third of the renewable heat produced is used back in the AD process the remainder can be exported to consumers.
There are a number of government incentives to promote the uptake of renewable energy that support anaerobic digestion:
- Anaerobic digestion qualified for double Renewable Obligation Certificates from April 2009.
- Renewable Electricity Tariff from April 2010.
- Renewable Heat Tariff from April 2011.
- Biomethane tariff expected in April 2011 (for injection into the natural gas grid).
- Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.
Biofertiliser
Nothing is wasted in the AD process, for the residual material is liquid biofertiliser, which can be supplied to farmers and growers, to replace fossil fuel derived fertilisers.
This biofertiliser is rich in nutrients and stored in large, covered tanks before being spread on farmland. Our low carbon process not only creates green electricity but as biofertiliser, it gives something back to the land – all the nourishment in waste food is captured and used to grow more food.
About us
Find out all about us,
AD, and the impact
of food waste on
the environment.
Get in touch
Call us on 01234 827249
or click here to obtain
further information
relevant to your
specific needs.
Resources
Click here to download case studies, reports and general information
about AD.
