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Farming Minister Jane Kennedy, speaking at the annual conference of the National Farmers Union in Birmingham yesterday, announced a new joint initiative with the public and private sector to make greater use of anaerobic digestion – a technology which produces energy from any organic material such as food waste, sewage and manure. In addition, anaerobic digestion often produces high grade organic fertiliser as a by-product.
Ms Kennedy said: "We're producing more organic waste in this country than we can handle, over 12 million tonnes of food waste a year – and farmers know all too well the challenges of managing manure and slurry. There are alternatives to sending organic waste to landfill. Anaerobic digestion is a true solution. This material could produce enough heat and power to run more than two million homes – helping to prevent dangerous climate change by providing a renewable energy source as well as reducing our reliance on landfill."
A report, ‘Anaerobic Digestion – Shared Goals’, has been drawn up in discussion with a wide cross section of the business community including: agriculture and biogas industries, supermarkets, water and energy companies, the waste and food sectors, Regional Development Agencies, local government, and regulators. The report sets out collective ambitions for the use of this technology.
Ms Kennedy will also convene a new Task Group, to be chaired by Steve Lee, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), and with members drawn from a broad range of sectors. It will lead the development of an implementation plan setting out the practical measures that Government and stakeholders will take individually and collectively to achieve these shared goals. |
