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In the UK, plans to build more than 1,000 anaerobic digesters
to turn unwanted food and farm waste into energy and fertiliser
have been unveiled.
Anaerobic digesters break down organic waste naturally into
a solid that can be used as fertiliser and a gas that can
be burnt to generate heat and electricity.
Jane Kennedy, the UK's Environment Minister, has declared
anaerobic digesters the solution to organic waste. She also
launched a task group with instructions to identify how many
should be installed by other sectors, such as the water industry,
to make anaerobic digestion “a major source of renewable energy”.
Other countries, notably Germany, have made widespread use
of anaerobic digesters and ministers are anxious to increase
the number in Britain to reduce pressure on landfill sites
and to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Farms produce 90 million
tonnes of waste, including manure and slurry, while a further
12 to 20 million tonnes of wasted food and food scraps go
into landfill after being thrown away by households, businesses,
restaurants and hotels.
Minister Kennedy hopes that an agreement with the National
Farmers’ Union and other representatives of the agriculture
sector will lead to the use of 1,000 anaerobic digesters by
2020 - at present there are estimated to be about 20. The
digesters are expected to make many farms self-sufficient
in electricity. Any excess could be passed on to the national
grid.
The water industry, which has to deal with 1.73 million
tonnes of sewage sludge annually, is also likely to find a
use for digesters. Similarly, UK ministers will expect businesses
and local authorities to increase the quantity of food waste
that goes into them.
The Minister pointed out that, if all the organic waste in
Britain were recycled in this manner, enough energy would
be generated to provide two million homes with heat and electricity.
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