RECAP News
22/04/2009 - Food waste process will cut climate change damage and boost recycling
Peterborough City Council aims to reduce climate change damage and boost its reputation as a top recycler by introducing a process that converts household food waste into electricity and a compost-like soil improver.
When the system is introduced, possibly next year (2010), kitchen food waste will be collected from homes and businesses and delivered to air-tight tanks at a processing plant in Fengate. Using an 'anaerobic digestion' process, special microbes will feed on the food and produce a 'biogas' that can be used to generate electricity.
After the 'digestion' part of the process is complete, the food residue makes a nitrogen-rich, compost-like soil improver for use on farm land.
The decision to go ahead with the anaerobic digestion process was announced on Monday 20th April by the city council's cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald and cabinet member for efficiency and business improvement, Councillor Sheila Scott. It follows the recommendation of a cross-party working group of councillors and supports the city council's commitment to increase recycling and composting of household and garden materials to over 65% by 2020.
"Peterborough currently has a recycling rate of around 50% and has been the top recycler among England's unitary councils for the past two years," said Councillor Fitzgerald.
"Food waste is now the biggest single item in household black bins, so introducing an anaerobic digestion treatment process means we can boost recycling levels by up to 10%, while also generating valuable electricity and soil improver for use on farm land.
This will support Peterborough's commitment to the Communities Cleaner and Greener agenda and build a reputation as the UK's Environment Capital. It will also help us avoid landfill reduction penalties calculated to total £1.5 million over three years if we carry on dumping bio-degradable food waste in landfill sites."
The city council aims to prepare a shortlist of contractors that can design, build and operate the council's anaerobic digestion facility, which will be built on council owned land at Fengate in Peterborough's Eastern Industry area.
Plans have already been approved for an existing building, purchased by the city council in May 2008, to become Peterborough's new materials recycling facility. The new materials recycling building will also acommodate the council's award-winning Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Re-use team, which repairs domestic appliances for sale to needy families.
Under a planning application submitted at the end of January, the city council wants to use the site of the existing materials recycling facility to construct an energy-from-waste plant that will use non-recycled waste as fuel to generate electricity and steam for local use.
"Creating an integrated recycling and waste management facility in this way offers several benefits for the city and its residents," said Councillor Fitzgerald. "It will provide an efficient waste infrastructure that meets the needs of a growing population while making cost-effective use of utility connections, weighbridges and the internal road system for all these facilities."
At present those householders who are not home composting put kitchen food waste in their black bins for disposal at the Dogsthorpe landfill site, which is expected to close by the end of 2013. As it rots, food in landfill tips produces methane, a global warming gas that contributes to climate change. The city council will be working with local residents to identify the best way to collect the food waste from domestic properties.
For more information about the city council's recycling and waste management proposals, visit www.65percentplus.co.uk
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