Bio Capital to process 50,000 tonnes of East London’s food waste

Bio Capital has announced its East London Biogas plant (ELBL) has won a tender to process 50,000 tonnes of local food waste in 2023, with plans to increase this to 60,000 tonnes in 2024. This agreement sees ELBL building on its extant partnership with Essex County Council.
The arrangement will save 45,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year through the production of renewable, low carbon energy, as well as reducing harmful methane emissions from food waste sent to landfill, according to Bio Capital.
It added the delivered food waste will annually generate 100% renewable energy equivalent to powering 10,000 homes annually.
This will be achieved by locally collected food waste being fed into ELBL’s anaerobic digestion (AD) process, where it will be broken down in an oxygen-free atmosphere to produce a high performing, low carbon biogas - used to generate renewable electricity to power local homes and businesses.
Bio Capital said it is helping local authorities like Essex County Council effectively manage food waste collected at kerbside, and to deliver against carbon reduction and recycling targets.
Cllr Malcolm Buckley, Cabinet Member for Waste said: “We are pleased to be working with East London Biogas for the management of food waste collected at kerbside from households in Essex.
"Together with our innovative work engaging with residents to reduce their food waste and to correctly recycle food that cannot be eaten, the ELBL solution ensures that the Council are effectively reducing the greenhouse gas emissions generated from food waste sent to landfill, and generating usable energy for homes and businesses.”
Jack Armond, group head of sales and account management at Bio Capital said: “We are delighted to be helping Essex County Council take the lead in tackling the UK’s food waste problem. With new legislation set to be introduced on food waste emissions, councils up and down the country will need to find sustainable solutions to food waste collection and emissions in their area.
“Our plants embody the circular economic model, taking food waste and transforming it into a secure, local, low carbon alternative to natural gas, renewable energy and providing a high quality, organic alternative to chemical fertilisers.”