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Anaerobic digestion & markets for digestates

Anaerobic digestion & markets for digestates. David Tompkins Agriculture Sector Specialist. About WRAP. WRAP’s vision is a world without waste, where resources are used sustainably.

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Anaerobic digestion & markets for digestates

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  1. Anaerobic digestion & markets for digestates David Tompkins Agriculture Sector Specialist

  2. About WRAP WRAP’s vision is a world without waste, where resources are used sustainably. We help businesses, individuals and communities reap the benefits of reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources in an efficient way.

  3. Main WRAP driver Focus on food waste Reduction and re-use of food and drink wastes • 16Mt of post-farm gate food and drink waste • 5.3 Mt of avoidable household food waste • Representing over 20 million tonnes of CO2e • 3% of total UK GHG emissions • 6% of total UK water footprint • 1 in 4 cars on the road in the UK • Ideally this waste would be prevented • Where this is not possible, it should be recycled • Composting offers one solution • AD offers another – with the advantage of renewable energy

  4. Anaerobic digestion (AD)

  5. Anaerobic digestion (AD)

  6. AD in the UK 107 operational facilities • 44 farm-fed (manures, slurries, crops) • 47 food-waste-fed (households) • 16 industry-fed (distilleries, dairies) • Total capacity ~5Mtpa • ~ 230 more plants in planning http://biogas-info.co.uk/maps/index2.htm

  7. Types of digestate Classification by input: • Manures and purpose-grown crops • Waste-derived: • Source-segregated • Mixed • Biosolids and co-digestates AD can be: • Wet (<15% DM) or dry • Mesophilic (35 - 40°C) or thermophilic (55 - 60°C) • http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/anaerobic-digestion-strat-action-plan.pdf

  8. Digestate is not just digestate… • Most UK digestates are low dry matter (<10%) • Can be separated • Fibre • Liquor • Different fractions have different physical and chemical characteristics • Different potential uses

  9. Digestate regulations • WRAP focusses on digestates derived from source-segregated wastes, including: • Food processing residues • Kitchen waste • Crop processing residues • As soon as a waste is mixed with non-waste, the whole mix becomes a waste • BUT… there is a way out of this [Digestates derived from manures and purpose-grown crops not normally regulated]

  10. Digestate regulations To transform ‘waste’ digestates into ‘products’ • Two parts: • Anaerobic Digestate Quality Protocol • Approved specification (PAS110) • If an operator complies with both and is independently certified to both, then the biofertiliser is no longer a waste and can be used as a product • BUT, ADQP lists allowable markets www.biofertiliser.org.uk

  11. Digestate regulations PAS110 specification includes limits on: • E. coli and Salmonella • PTEs (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn) • Digestate stability • Physical contaminants PAS110 specification requires tests for: • pH • Total nutrients & ammonium-N • Dry matter

  12. WRAP’s market development work • >99% digestate is used in agriculture • Replicated field experiments across the UK • www.wrap.org.uk/dc-agri • Biofertiliser Matrix • Other uses • Brownfield restoration and regeneration (particularly energy crops) • Soil manufacture • Turf establishment • Sports and amenity turf maintenance

  13. Horticulture pre-feasibility trials • As an ingredient in growing media • As a liquid feed for containerised strawberry production • In soil-less hydroponic trials Key questions: • Can digestate be used in these applications? • What are the constraints? • Can these be overcome? • Are there business benefits? • Should the ADQP be changed?

  14. Thank you • David.Tompkins@wrap.org.uk • 01295 817896 • 07703 331947 • www.wrap.org.uk

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