Waste and Recycling
CGBF is constantly campaigning for better local business recycling facilities and services for general business waste, packaging waste, WEEE (Waste electrical and electronic equipment) and hazardous waste such as fluorescent light tubes, batteries and cooking oil!
The UK has one of the highest levels of of landfill in Europe. In 2006, 60% of the 35.5 million tonnes of municipal waste went to landfill. An estimated 10 tonnes of resources such as raw materials, energy and packaging are consumed to make just one tonne of useful products. A high proportion of the resources, including many of the products themselves, end up in landfill sites or are incinerated.
In 1996 Landfill Tax was introduced as an incentive to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Recent years have seen a sharp rise in landfill with current levies at £32 per tonne rising to £48 tax per tonne by 2010 - that's on top of the actual cost of disposal.
This tax is paid to the Government from which most of the money is used to offset employers National Insurance contributions with a smaller portion going to environment-type projects.
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Reducing Waste
The best way of dealing with waste is not to create it in the first place.
The next best thing is to segregate wastes for reuse, recovery or recycling.
Consider these options:
- reduction of waste - ask suppliers to reduce packaging where practicable
- re-use of waste - putting goods and materials back into the production stream. ask suppliers to take back containers for refilling
- recovery of waste - redundant furniture and furnishings can be recovered or repaired.
- recycling waste - glass, paper, metal and plastics are all recyclable.
The Government is obliged to reduce biodegradable (e.g. vegetables)
municipal waste going to landfill by 25% by July 2010 (from 1995
levels). This is because decomposing wastes generate methane which is a
potent greenhouse gas and is also highly explosive.
Composting vegetable wastes has three key benefits:
- reduces the amount of global warming gases generated in landfill sites
- reduces the cost of waste disposal and makes more space available for
inert wastes - provides nourishing nutrients for the garden.
Hazardous Waste
England, Wales and Northern Ireland have introduced regulations to complete the implementation of the Hazardous Waste Directive. All include the following requirements:
• Some business’s waste will be classed as ‘Hazardous’ for the first time.
• hazardous waste will have to be separated from ‘non-hazardous waste’, where it is technically and economically practical.
Scotland issued its own amendment to the Special Waste Regulations
New hazardous waste - there are a number of wastes that have become hazardous for the first time (e.g. fluorescent lighting tubes, certain batteries, TV’s, computer monitors, fridges and freezers containing CFC's and other ozone-depleting substances, oily rags and all oil/ water mixes and some paints). These are banned from non-hazardous waste landfills and will also require pre-treatment before being deposited into hazardous landfills. These wastes are known as either “newly hazardous wastes” or “changed status wastes”.
Fly-tipping
Fly-tipping has increased significantly in recent years due, in part, to the rising cost of landfill and incineration. The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 gave local authorities the power to stop, search and seize any vehicle involved in a fly-tipping incident, making it easier to track down those responsible. Once caught, fly-tippers can be fined up to £20,000 and sent to prison for up to 6 months. If fly-tipped waste is traced back to a particular household, the householders could be fined up to £5000.
Further details are available from: www.Defra.gov.uk/
WEEE
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) is the fastest growing part of the waste stream today. Each European citizen produces on average around 14 kg per year of these wastes. Currently, 90% of this waste is landfilled or incinerated without any pre-treatment. The UK currently produces 914,444 tonnes of electrical and electronic waste each year.
The Directive sets criteria for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of waste electrical and electronic equipment. Producers will be largely responsible for financing most of these activities (producer responsibility). Private householders are to be able to return WEEE without charge.
The list of equipment includes:
• household appliances
• IT and telecommunications equipment
• audiovisual and lighting equipment
• electrical and electronic tools
• toys, leisure and sports equipment
• medical devices and
• automatic dispensers.
Business to Business (B2B) WEEE
B2B Weee requires producers to be responsible for collection, treatment and recovery of Weee for their products placed on the market after 13 August 2005. They are also responsible for products on the market before this date but only where old products are replaced on a like-for-like basis.
Under the arrangements, B2B Weee Producers are responsible for the collection and treatment of EEE from the last user.
Duty of Care:
Waste management responsibilities under the Duty of Care should ensure the following:
- safe and secure storage
- a description of the waste, including where it came from and the amounts involved
- choosing a registered carrier or waste manager licensed to accept your waste or a waste collection authority (local council)
- completing and signing a transfer note including a description of the waste
- keeping a copy of the signed transfer note for two years;
- ensuring that the waste is being dealt with properly e.g. tracking its disposal route.
Remember! - Breach of the duty of care is a criminal offence. In some circumstances this may be punishable on summary conviction (in the magistrates court) by a fine of up to £50,000, or a conviction on indictment (in the Crown Court) by an unlimited fine or possibly imprisonment.
Duty of care: who is allowed to deal with your waste?
Did you know that you are responsible for where your business waste finally ends up? Read our updated guidance to find out who is authorised to handle waste from your business and what documents you should ask to see.
Duty of care: your waste responsibilities ... more information
Recycle your batteries
Strict rules on recycling all types of batteries are coming into force, including a complete ban on sending them to landfill. Virtually every business uses batteries, so be prepared with our update on the changing legislation. Batteries recycling...more information
Weed invasion!
Invasive weeds like Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam are becoming a major problem in the UK. They spread rapidly, kill native species, take years to get rid of and are a nightmare for builders. Our up-to-date guidance will help you to identify and tackle these tough weeds.
Invasive weeds... more information
A Member's Recycling Case Study
Rik Still - The Glen Rothay Hotel and Badger Bar - Rydal
CGBF recently introduced me to a Eden Community Recycling who provided a cage system consisting of 18 green wheelie bins as well as all the space between and above the bins for other waste. This cage is proving to be of immense value in terms of (i) reduction of what we send to landfill as well as (ii) a huge reduction in our waste removal bills overall. Prior to the introduction of the cage we were recycling our glass and some of our cardboard. This was costing in the region of £250 per year, but in addition we required two 1,100L commercial Biffa bins per week for the remainder of our rubbish. Biffa charge £20.28 per bin, so this was costing an additional £2,109 per annum, and all of this went to landfill.We are now paying Eden Community Recycling £90 per cage and I estimate we will need a cage every two months (equals £540 per annum). We are recycling all our glass, soft plastics, hard plastics, aluminium foil, other metal, polystyrene, paper and cardboard via this method. We have created two large compost heaps for raw vegetable matter. Cooked waste is fed to the local badger population each evening. This leaves extremely small amounts of waste to be sent to landfill - so far we have reduced our Biffa bins on site to one as well as asking Biffa to empty it just once every two weeks. Our annual Biffa charge is therefore going to be only £527.Overall therefore, the introduction of the Recycling Cage has led to our waste 'cost' being reduced from £2,359 to £1,067 - a 55% reduction, as well as what we send to landfill being reduced by at least 75%.The workforce has taken the initiative well, spending more time separating and taking a greater interest in environmental issues. As a reward we offer a incentive where the less we send to landfill the more money goes in the Staff Christmas fund!!
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Notes for Recycling:
It is imperative that cross contamination is avoided as this reduces the financial value and recyclability of the resource. For instance; can banks are purely for cans and no other metals (including aluminium foil) It takes only 2% contamination to completely ruin a consignment.
Waste and Recycling Service providers
As always, CGBF provides this information for your consideration, CGBF does not recommend individual organisations.
For more information on Recycling in Cumbria visit Resource Cumbria at: www.resourcecumbria.org
Impact Housing
Impact will collect (Free of Charge) any unwanted items of furniture such as three piece suites, beds and other furnishings (Must be Fire retardant) or white goods
As well as helping people in need it benefits the environment by reusing household items that would otherwise go to landfill sites.
Opening Hours
Carlisle 47 Nelson Street, Carlisle, CA2 5NE
Mon - Thurs: 8.30am - 4.30pm Friday: 8.30am - 4.00pm Sat: 10.00am - 2.00pm
Tel: 01228 633655 Email: lynseyb@impacthousing.org.uk
Penrith Unit 1, Swainsons Yard, Myers Lane, Penrith CA11 9DP
Mon, Wed & Thurs: 9am - 5pm, Tues 10am - 5pm Friday: 9am - 4.30pm
Tel: 01768 210555 Email: graemel@impacthousing.org.uk
Ulverston Unit 4, North Lonsdale Road, Ulverston LA12 9DL
Mon, Wed & Thurs: 8.30am - 4.30pm Tues 9:30 to 4:30 Friday: 8.30am - 4.00pm
Tel: 01229 583185 Email: maxineh@impacthousing.org.uk
Enviro-first
We have recently been told of this local recycling company. They are using technology to separate glass into it's constituent colours. This gets over two of our glass problems, 1 that it is used separately and 2 that you only need one bin.
This service is limited to the South of the County as far North as Windermere.
A G Bell and sons
This company provides kerbside collection for paper, cardboard and polythene.
Free collection service in the following areas:
Ambleside, Kendal, Patterdale and Kirkby Lonsdale areas - fortnightly
Keswick area - 3 weekly
Tel: 01229 869876 or 07860 686735 for collection dates in your area.
Miltek
CGBF were introduced to Miltek at the recycling and waste exhibition at the NEC.
they provide balers of all sizes which can be purchased or leased on a monthly basis.
Eden Valley Oils
Collect all types of waste cooking oil and fats on a regular basis, and pay the best prices. They provide steam cleaned waste oil storage drums (20 lit re buckets to 1000 lit re tanks) free of charge and collect at a time and date to suit you. Registered Waste Carriers Licence No is CMA/192385.
Green Cone
Benefits of the Green Cone and Green Johanna:
- Waste food can be disposed of immediately.
- Clean dustbins.
- Remaining household waste clean for recycling.
- It's easy to set up and maintain.
- Saves 20% of household waste being collected.
- Less waste means fewer lorries on the road.
- Reduces need for landfill and large-scale treatment plants.
- Reduces methane production which is a greenhouse gas.
Eden Community Recycling
Eden Community Recycling is a Not-for-Profit company that grew out of a voluntary group.
ECR offer a full range of recycling services to assist businesses throughout Cumbria with either a collection service or a "bring to us" scheme.
Food waste
Food waste reprocessing – an opportunity to reduce waste, save money and improve environmental performance
Intro
Data released recently by Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) indicates that total food waste in the UK is around 18-20 million tonnes. UK households generate 6.7 million tonnes of municipal food waste every year, or about one third of the 21.7 million tonnes of food purchased. Food manufacturers generate about 4.1 million tonnes of food waste, retailers around 1.6 million tonnes, whilst food waste from the catering industry amounts to around 3.3 million tonnes. Most food waste ends up in landfill sites. Ref: http://www.wrap.org.uk/retail/food_waste/nonhousehold_food.html
Food waste represents both a waste of resources and a major contributor to the UK’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. According to a recent report published by the University of Surrey; ‘Cooking up a storm’, the food system as a whole contributes around 19% of the UK’s GHG.
Food waste in landfill degrades and produces methane (CH4), generating an estimated 0.3% of the UK’s GHG emissions. More significantly the embedded emissions associated with production, processing, transport and retailing of food that ends up as waste adds around 18 million tonnes’ worth of CO2 equivalent to 2% to the UK’s production-related emissions.
Catering waste – key legislation and regulations
National Waste Strategy
The EU Framework Directive on Waste (75/442/EEC) amended by Directive 91/156/EEC, required all European Member States to produce a National Waste Strategy and was implemented in the UK through the Environment Act 1995 and the first National Waste Strategy was introduced in 2000. The Strategy has subsequently been amended but the hierarchy of waste management – prevention, reuse, recycling/compost, energy recovery and disposal remains central to the strategy.
The strategy was revised in 2007 and now includes more ambitious objectives and targets including:
- putting more emphasis on waste prevention and re-use;
- meeting and exceed the Landfill Directive diversion targets for biodegradable municipal waste in 2010, 2013 and 2020;
- increasing diversion from landfill of non-municipal waste and secure better integration of treatment for municipal and non-municipal waste;
- increasing recycling of resources and recovery of energy from residual waste using a mix of technologies.
The strategy underpins the Government’s commitment to significantly reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and to promote waste materials as viable resources.
EU Landfill Directive
The revised strategy was influenced by the EU Landfill Directive which limits the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) disposed to landfill. In the UK, the Waste and Emissions Trading Act 2003 - introduces the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS), designed to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) that disposal authorities can landfill including paper, food and garden waste. By 2010, biodegradable waste going to landfill must be 75% of the amount disposed in 1995; by 2013 this is reduced to 50% and by 2020 to 35%.
Around 68% of English municipal waste is biodegradable. In England this means reducing the amount of BMW waste landfilled to 11.2m tonnes in 2009/10 - a reduction of 9.7m tonnes from that landfilled in 2003/04. Under the LATS scheme allowances are allocated to each waste disposal authority as their contribution to meeting UK targets. Another aspect of the Landfill Directive does impact on catering waste, namely the requirement of pre-treatment of organic waste prior to landfilling. This fits with the UK’s 2007 strategic objective to encourage diversion of non-municipal waste from landfill.
Animal By-Products Regulations (ABPR)
For catering facilities and all other businesses that deal with animal bi-products, there are additional responsibilities under the Animal By-Products Regulations (ABPR). The ABPR sets out the requirements for the collection, treatment, storage and disposal of waste that includes animal by-products under three categories depending on their potential risk to human and animal health or to the environment.
Categories 1 and 2 are ‘very high’ and ‘high’ risk materials respectively and refer especially to those animals suspected of being infected or diseased. This category also included catering waste from aircraft and shipping. Category 3 is low risk material which is edible but not intended for human consumption – raw meats, fish, milk and former foodstuffs are in this category. Defra has published guidance notes to clarify policies and procedures for dealing with animal bi-products which can be found at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/by-prods/guidance/index.htm
Catering waste is defined as 'all waste food including used cooking oil originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household kitchens'. Catering waste containing meat is now classified as animal by-products (ABP) and may not be fed to farmed animals. Waste cooking oil from catering premises is also classed as ABP and cannot be used as an ingredient in animal feed although unused cooking oil from food manufacturers can.
Disposing of animal by-products
Retailers and other food-producing premises are no longer able to send animal bi-[products direct to landfill sites.
Category 1 food waste must be disposed either by:
- direct incineration
- rendering followed by incineration or landfill of the remaining animal tissue
Category 2 material must be disposed of by:
- direct incineration
- rendering followed by incineration, landfill, composting or biogas treatment of the rendered material.
- Some category 2 material, such as manure, may be recycled without pre-treatment (e.g. for biogas, composting, oleo-chemical products etc). Unprocessed category 2 material cannot go to landfill.
Category 3 material must be disposed of by:
- incineration
- rendering followed by incineration or landfill
- anaerobic digestion
- alkaline hydrolysis plant
- composting or biogas plant.
In some cases category 3 materials can be used in an approved pet food or technical plant. It cannot be taken to landfill. Former foodstuffs can still go direct to landfill but only until 31 July 2009. See NetRegs details at the end of this report.
Future legislation
Defra, the Environment Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government are undertaking a review of the exemptions from environmental permitting. The aim of the review is to provide a more risk-based and proportionate approach to the regulation of waste recovery and disposal operations. The formal consultation for this review was undertaken between July and October 2008 and the responses to this consultation are currently being reviewed. All of the documents relating to this consultation and the informal consultation which was held in 2007 can be found at the following sites:
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/management/exemptions/index.htm
http://defraweb/corporate/consult/waste-exemption-review/index.htm
Legislation and regulations governing the disposal of food waste is extensive and managed by a number of government departments including Defra, Food Standards Agency, Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive and local authority Environmental Health officers.
The legislation mentioned above includes some of the key food waste regulatory requirements but there are other regulations dealing more specifically with different types of food waste as well as various options for collection, storage and disposal. For those businesses with on-site or contracted catering facilities it is advisable to contact the relevant authorities to find out more about food waste reprocessing.
What to do with catering waste
Catering waste not containing animal bi-products may continue to be disposed of to landfill. However, the primary aim of Government food waste regulations is to incentivise catering and other food outlets to consider alternative outlets such as composting or biogas treatment.
Food waste is ‘controlled waste’ and Duty of Care responsibilities apply to all businesses that import, produce, store, treat or dispose of food waste and businesses that transfer waste for others to deal with on their behalf. Catering waste is waste food from restaurants, catering facilities such as kitchens, cafes and bars. It includes all food waste that is no longer intended for human consumption. Catering waste, including used cooking oil can no longer be used to feed animals. Where catering waste is removed from site then it must be collected and transported by a registered waste carrier who will dispose of it legally.
The use of catering waste to produce compost and biogas is becoming more common as pressure on landfill and the associated disposal costs increase. If the waste is to be removed from site and used for composting or production of biogas then it must be pre-treated and caterers must check that carriers are registered and that the contractor holds the appropriate licences and authorisations for composting or other biodegradation processing.
Types of composting
Composting is an effective process for getting value from biodegradable waste. It involves the breakdown of organic matter by a range of micro-organisms under aerobic conditions. Heat generated during composting should be sufficient to destroy animal or plant pathogens that may be present. The end product 'compost' can be used for improving soil quality and acts as a replacement for products such as peat.
Food waste can only be composted in facilities that have been approved as compliant with the Animal By-Products Regulations. For example, the regulations require composting to take place in closed containers or buildings with no access by vermin, and meet stringent requirements for temperature and pasteurisation to kill disease causing organisms. In-vessel composting and anaerobic digestion are the most common types of processing facility for food waste.
Windrow composting is suitable for source separated garden waste. Windrows are long heaps of compostable organic material in the open air, turned regularly and kept at the best temperature to promote rapid conversion to compost - usually 8-12 weeks to produce a marketable compost. The waste is usually shredded in the preparation phase. For larger quantities of green waste, composting can generally be carried out using relatively simple equipment such as tractors/loaders or tractor-drawn compost turners to aerate windrows.
Vermicomposting or worm composting is the process of using earthworms to break down kitchen and garden waste, to create compost. Vermiculture is the rearing of worms for the purpose of making compost, to improve the condition of soil. Vermicomposting is popular with small scale gardening operations.
In-Vessel composting (IVC) is a more expensive form of treatment than windrow composting, but is suitable for composting food waste. In-vessel composters are completely enclosed vessels designed to control moisture, temperature, odours and aeration of the composting process. The biodegradable waste can be reduced in weight by up to 50% and converted into a soil conditioner rich in nutrients and humus. They can maintain a decomposition process year-round. Full guidance on the composting requirements are at:
http://defra.gov.uk/animalh/by-prods/wastefood/compindx.htm
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is the biological decomposition and stabilisation of organic material in the absence of oxygen and under controlled conditions in order to produce biogas (a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) - a source of renewable energy. AD is one of the few waste to energy processes eligible under the Renewables Obligation and the Government plans to increase support for AD under a banded Obligation, which should be in place by 2009. AD produces solid and liquid residual materials called digestat which can further be used as a soil conditioner to fertilise land.
Managing food waste
There are a number of initiatives underway to improve food waste reprocessing and make the management process simpler and more transparent. For example, the Environment Agency working with WRAP has developed a Quality Protocol to make it easier to collect, store, transport and reuse biodegradable waste. The Protocol sets out criteria for the production and use of quality outputs from anaerobic digestion of source-separated biodegradable waste.
In addition BSi has produced PAS 100, a Specification covering the entire process by which compost is produced. PAS 100 is designed to ensure baseline standards for safety and consistency and gives purchasers peace of mind about product quality, since all compost produced to the specification must meet minimum quality and process control criteria.
The Composting Association have produced a Composting Industry Code of Practice, which provides a route map through the legislative process and sets a benchmark against which regulatory authorities may assess proposed operations. This guide relates to composting facilities of any size and covers a wide range of food waste treatment and composting processes. The Composting Association has adopted BSI PAS 100 as the specification that composted materials must meet in order to achieve the independently verified Composting Association accreditation and use of TCA logo.
CASE STUDIES
Waste Not - The Government Office for London
GOL/MITIE launched a new food waste composting pilot scheme at Riverwalk House on 11 January 2006 (as well as Ashdown House and Eland House, ODPM). This scheme provides a safe, hygienic and legally compliant disposal of any food waste generated by the restaurants at the three buildings, and is in partnership with East London Community Recycling Partnership (ELCRP)
The scheme came about following physical waste audits which found that a very high proportion of non recycled waste was organic matter. Such waste was once provided to farms for use as pig swill, but this is no longer possible since the introduction of the Animal By-Products Regulations in 2003.
The system involves separating any food waste (including…cooked meat and fish, even bones) generated during both food preparation and from left-overs. The waste is initially pre-treated onsite by catering staff, with a Natural Odour and Pathogen Control (NOPC) spray. This spray ensures the waste begins a process of fermentation, thus avoiding any unpleasant odours and vermin associated with waste putrefaction.
The waste is collected weekly from locked outdoor facilities and taken to ELCRP's treatment facility where it is shredded, and then stored in an in-vessel composting system. The vessel rotates and heats the waste to temperatures over 60 degrees centigrade aiding the composting process. It is then matured in either composting boxes or wormeries. The final product is an odour-free, neutral compost which is highly nutrient rich and can be used to revitalise and fertilise soil. This can then be supplied to staff for use in office pot plants and home gardens.
The ELCRP is a social enterprise, providing recycling solutions in an area of high deprivation and unemployment. Based on a housing estate in Clapton, Hackney, it collects and composts food waste from the local estates before returning it to be used on the estate gardens. It has been a highly successful and popular scheme and has virtually eradicated rats and other vermin from many estates which previously has serious problems. This pilot scheme, however, is the first project ELCRP have undertaken with any government offices.
This is the first large scale commercial food composting scheme of its kind in the UK and will also contribute to GOL reaching the Government's targets on waste reduction and recycling. This initiative could be used for similar schemes across Government. For further details of this ELCRP project contact www.elcrp-recycling.com
Rocket® In-vessel composters
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a multi-site campus serving the needs of the local community and over 20,000 students and 2,500 staff. The University has a number of catering facilities dotted around the campus.
The University wanted to find a safe and hygienic solution to their growing food waste problem. The Students Union Head Quarters bar and restaurant had eight 1100 litre commercial wheeled bins that were emptied daily. The landfill escalator and rising collection costs together with food odours were instrumental in the University’s decision to investigate other options. Key aims are to:
- Reduce rising waste disposal costs
- Avoid dirty, smelly bins that attract vermin
- Reduce landscaping consumables costs
- Increase the environmental sustainability of the University
The University trialled the A500 Rocket® In-Vessel Composter to ascertain its suitability for the on-site recycling of food wastes. The A500 is the smallest in the range of Rocket® composters. It is fully automatic and measurers 2000mm long by 700mm wide and 1400mm high with a capacity of 600 litres of mixed waste per week. Rocket® fuel dosing system and temperature reader were included.
Using a ratio of 1:1, food waste and wood chippings, the A500 maintains the high temperatures and produces a fine, quality compost at the end of the process. The A500 Rocket® diverts around 19 tonnes of food waste from landfill each year. The waste disposal area doesn’t attract vermin and the high quality compost produced by the Rocket® is used on campus grounds reducing landscaping costs.
The A500 Rocket® proved its efficiency during the trial period. Temperatures of 65-75°C were maintained in compliance with ABPR regulations. Results from the State Veterinary Service (Animal Health) showed the process clear of pathogens. The University of Salford is the first university site to achieve ABP approval for the composting of its own food wastes.
A larger A700 Rocket® has been installed on another campus catering site. The two machines will reduce food waste to landfill from the University by around 57 tonnes per year, saving associated methane emissions from the landfill site and cutting the waste disposal costs of the university.
Conwy Centre, Anglesey
The Canolfan Conway Centre is a 420-bed residential education centre, one of the largest in the UK. The Centre, installed an A700 Rocket® In-Vessel Composter from Cheshire based manufacturers Accelerated Compost Ltd to process the food waste from around 1,000 meals a day. In October 2007 the Centre was awarded the Environmental Management System Award for the Public Sector in the Welsh Sustainability Awards.
Changes were made in the Centre’s tuck shop to reduce unrecyclable waste and initiatives were set up through the kitchen suppliers to provide recyclable packaging on all food items where possible. The kitchens deal with an average of 1,100 covers a day, which is about the same amount produced in an average secondary school.
On-Site Food Waste Processing
All food waste is put into sealed containers by the kitchen team and three times each day this waste is put into the Rocket® by the Maintenance & Groundwork team. In 2006 4,235 litres of food waste was processed through the Rocket®.
Prior to the sewage rationalisation process carried out on the entire site and the Rocket® being installed the BOD readings for material being released into the Menai Straits was around 7,000. Since then it has dropped to 260 and the Centre has saved an astonishing £1,400 a year on emptying the grease traps and £660 a year on emptying the settlement tanks. A further £2,200 of fresh water costs is saved every year due to the addition of a food waste dewaterer, which is used prior to the composting process. The reduction in waste disposal costs and purchasing costs for compost materials has meant that the Rocket® In-vessel composting system has paid for itself in the three years.
The mid-range A700 Rocket® In-Vessel composter is capable of processing up to 700 litres of mixed food waste per week. Thermostatically controlled to ensure temperatures greater than 65°C are maintained for more than 2 days the average power consumption is as little as 70kwh per week. Fully automatic and measuring 3m long by 0.9m wide and 1.6m high the A700 is a highly versatile small scale in-vessel composting systems.
The utility/recycling area is accessible to the children who visit the centre which has increased awareness of the consequences of producing waste and the environmental benefits of recycling.
The Conway Centre has been awarded FEE Eco Centre status, Level 4 Green Dragon (Arena Network) and in October 2007 the Centre won the Environmental Management System Award for the Public Sector in the Welsh Sustainability Awards.
The Rocket® is used by numerous small scale commercial and industrial applications throughout the UK from Community Composters to Schools and Colleges, Hotels, Restaurants and Estates. Further details from www.quickcompost.co.uk Accelerated Compost Ltd, T: 01625 666790
E: info@quickcompost.co.uk Registered in England & Wales: 4330091
European Patent No: 1153902
The South Shropshire Biodigester
Biocycle is a not-for-profit company set up by between BiogenGreenfinch and the South Shropshire District Council (SSDC) to run the South Shropshire Biodigester, which digests food waste from a number of sources.
The plant is designed to accept 5,000 tonnes per annum of food waste. It is currently running, on source segregated household waste and commercial waste. The food waste is collected from households in Newtown and Somerset along with households and commercial properties in Ludlow.
The food waste is delivered daily to the reception hall at the biodigester. The food waste is shredded, and once mixed with liquid from the end of the process, is then pumped to the raw waste buffer tank. The digester itself is then ‘fed’ on an hourly basis from this buffer tank. Monitoring required is carried out by the Plant Manager.
The key components of the process for recycling organic kitchen waste:
- Waste reception, inside a building with air emissions controlled by a bio-filter
- Mechanical waste conditioning, with primary shredding
- Digester feedstock homogenisation, with secondary shredding
- Digester feedstock buffer storage, to allow for 5-day delivery of feedstock
- Mesophilic anaerobic digestion (37ºC), a continuous process in a fully-mixed tank
- Pasteurisation (70ºC for one hour), a strictly batch process with zero by-pass
- Fibre separation, to separate particles larger than 1500ìm
- Liquid bio fertiliser storage, in a sealed tank awaiting transport to a local farm
- Biogas storage
- Combined heat and power (CHP) unit, to produce renewable electricity for the grid
- Heat exchange units, to provide heating for the tanks
- Pumping systems
- Bio-filter system
- Instrumentation and controls
Energy Balance
The gross annual electricity production is designed to give up to 1,440,000 kWh dependent upon waste feedstock, with process plant consumption of 125,000 kWh, thus a net output of 1,315,000 kWh. The electricity qualifies for Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs). The gross annual heat production is estimated to be up to 2,400,000 kWh with process plant consumption of 800,000 kWh which is circulated through two heat exchangers to provide heating for the tanks. The process has a potential net output of 1,600,000 kWh that could be used as part of a local district heating system.
Anaerobic digestion is considered a commercially viable and environmentally sustainable way of dealing with food waste and diverts food waste away from landfill. It also harnesses all the energy generated from the process and prevents polluting gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from being released into the atmosphere that would otherwise add to global warming and the greenhouse effect. The bio fertilizer produced, which is one of the outputs of an anaerobic digester, can be used back on agricultural land as substitute for inorganic fossil fuel derived fertilizers, helping to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the farm.
The biogas plant was designed and built by Greenfinch Ltd now know as BiogenGreenfinch. Further details of the project are available from South Shropshire District Council http://www.southshropshire.gov.uk
Useful references:
- Cooking up a storm. Food greenhouse gas emissions and our changing climate. Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey. September 2008.
- Cost-effective management of organic waste from the Food & Drink and Hospitality sectors (GG808) http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/
- Compost Specifications BSi PAS 100 http://www.wrap.org.uk/composting/compost_specifications/bsi_pas_100
- Composting Industry Code of Practice, Composting Association www.organics-recycling.org.uk
Further regulation details and guidance:
- Animal bi-products regulations 2005 (SI No. 2347) details available from http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052347.htm
- Catering waste information is also available from Defra; http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/by-prods/wastefood/caterwaste.htm#uco
- ABPR – further guidance is also available from Netregs website http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/63499.aspx
