UK anaerobic digestion trade body reacts to Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) welcomes the publication of Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan, notably its measures to achieve cleaner air, greater biodiversity, and nature-friendly practices in farming, as well as, crucially, its plans to “maximise resources and minimise our waste.” – all aspects to which anaerobic digestion (AD) can significantly contribute.

Launching the Plan yesterday, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey made a firm commitment for all households to have access to separate food waste collections by 2028 and recognised ‘anaerobic digestion is an important technology to reach our net zero goals’.

Charlotte Morton, ADBA Chief Executive, said:
“The Plan reflects ADBA’s message that the rollout of separate food waste collections is pivotal to delivering waste reform, both in terms of reducing food waste and ensuring we make best use of what are, in reality, valuable resources. Only a small proportion of organic waste is currently recycled through AD – which delivers a 1% reduction in the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. If all the organic wastes generated in the UK were collected and sent to AD, this figure could rise to 6% by 2030. In the process, AD would generate nearly double the gas we currently import from Russia and create 30,000 new green jobs.

Therefore, the sooner we deliver this, the better – separate food waste collections were scheduled to be in place this year and so we could have already been reaping the benefits the government now clearly recognises.

When it comes to air quality, ADBA remains committed to working with Defra and BEIS to address ammonia emissions. It welcomes the approach to deliver environmental improvement in farming in a way that is consistent with the “continued growth of the anaerobic digestate market” – notably with the increased production of biogas and biomethane.”

ADBA has been campaigning for some years to ensure that the 9.5m tonnes of municipal food waste produced annually in the UK are collected and treated through AD to generate biogas and biomethane for heating, electricity, and transport;  biofertilisers for farming and to improve soil health; and bioCO₂ for use in the food and drink sector.