Food waste crisis
The UK produces nearly 500 million tonnes of waste each year with municipal and commercial waste accounting for well over 100m tonnes, agriculture just under 100m tonnes and at least 200m tonnes being categorised as controlled wastes regulated by the Environment Agency.
Most waste in England and Wales still goes directly to landfill for disposal. Currently that includes more than 80% of municipal waste and just over 65% of commercial waste - by comparison only 9% of municipal waste is recycled.
Food waste being diverted from landfill
However, all this is about to change. EU directives are driving new Government strategies and imposing strict measures to divert certain types of waste (especially biodegradable food chain waste) from landfill and increase the use of recycling (especially processes such as Anaerobic Digestion).
The UK has targeted a reduction of 8m tonnes of biodegradable waste going to landfill by 2013.
The problems with landfill
Degradation of biodegradable wastes in landfill produces methane and carbon dioxide as a natural part of the decomposition process and they go on being emitted into the atmosphere for perhaps several hundred years after a site has been closed. These two gases are major contributors to global warming, the breakdown of the ozone layer and potentially dramatic climate change.
The capacity of existing landfill sites has almost been reached and new site options are limited. In addition landfill brings with it the risk of land and water pollution, noise and visual pollution, and the attraction of vermin.
The Proximity principle
Transportation is responsible for 22% of the UK's carbon emissions and the movement of materials, including food stuffs and waste and therefore has a negative impact on the environment. The Proximity Principle proposes that waste should be recycled/treated/disposed of as close to its place of origin as possible.
Disposal of liquid and ABP waste
There have been increasing concerns regarding the microbiological food safety implications of the possible transfer of pathogens from organic waste (sewage sludge, animal manure and abattoir waste) to the food chain. Plants wishing to treat Animal by-Product (ABP) wastes are required to obtain
approval from DEFRA via the State Veterinary Service before such wastes are accepted.
The disposal of liquid wastes is also becoming increasingly difficult due to the limited number of sites now licensed to accept them.
