Funding for separate food waste collection needed now, says ADBA
Funding for separate food waste collection in the UK should be provided “without delay”, according to the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA).
In its annual monitoring report, the National Infrastructure Commission reiterated its recommendation – first made in 2018 – to “enable separate food waste collection for households and businesses for biogas production”.
In 2017, the UK Government made separate food waste collection mandatory in England by 2023 as part of its Resources and Waste Management Strategy. However, there are no plans for the government to financially support local authorities (Las) to implement this directive before 2023.
“LAs are in the process of putting their waste management contracts in place now for the years to come, and they need government funding now to be able to implement separate food waste collections by 2023,” said Charlotte Morton, chief executive of ADBA.
“In England, 50% of local councils are currently collecting food waste separately or as part of their green waste collection. However, still some 2.3 million tonnes of household produced food waste goes to either landfill or sewer, where it emits harmful methane gas as it breaks down.
“This food waste could generate up to 2.7 TWh of energy if it were taken to an AD plant. But lack of funding preventing LAs from putting the infrastructure in place to collect this food waste, and being able to do so, as required by government, by 2023.
“We cannot afford any delays if the UK is to meet its net-zero targets by 2050 and hope this funding will feature in this week’s Budget announcement.”
In its annual monitoring report, the National Infrastructure Commission reiterated its recommendation – first made in 2018 – to “enable separate food waste collection for households and businesses for biogas production”.
In 2017, the UK Government made separate food waste collection mandatory in England by 2023 as part of its Resources and Waste Management Strategy. However, there are no plans for the government to financially support local authorities (Las) to implement this directive before 2023.
“LAs are in the process of putting their waste management contracts in place now for the years to come, and they need government funding now to be able to implement separate food waste collections by 2023,” said Charlotte Morton, chief executive of ADBA.
“In England, 50% of local councils are currently collecting food waste separately or as part of their green waste collection. However, still some 2.3 million tonnes of household produced food waste goes to either landfill or sewer, where it emits harmful methane gas as it breaks down.
“This food waste could generate up to 2.7 TWh of energy if it were taken to an AD plant. But lack of funding preventing LAs from putting the infrastructure in place to collect this food waste, and being able to do so, as required by government, by 2023.
“We cannot afford any delays if the UK is to meet its net-zero targets by 2050 and hope this funding will feature in this week’s Budget announcement.”
