On Wednesday, 4 December 2024, the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) organised an anaerobic digestion (AD) site visit with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
The aim of the visit was to foster a discussion between the AD industry and WRAP regarding WRAP’s future guidance on the use of plastics and compostable bags for food waste collection, in preparation for the Simpler Recycling Act coming into force in 2025.
ADBA Policy Analyst Thibaut Raharofalimanana met with Sian Morgan from WRAP’s Food Programme and Thomas Baker from the plastics team at Olleco’s AD site in Aylesbury. The visit was hosted by Jacqui MacCaig and Miguel Pepe from Olleco.
Jacqui MacCaig’s extensive experience in the AD industry drove an insightful discussion on the challenges posed by plastics and compostable bags in the AD process. The conversation highlighted the cost burden of managing plastics in AD plants. As the depackaging process cannot differentiate between traditional plastics and compostable plastic bags, recycling remains a costly challenge. Concerns were raised that current regulations on plastics contamination in AD could lead to plastic being sent to incineration rather than being recycled.
An urgent need persists to address the burden plastics place on AD while enabling households and local authorities to participate effectively in food waste collection. Though the solution to this challenge remains unclear, ADBA, with support from its AD partners, is dedicated to equipping WRAP with the expertise and resources required to create practical, effective guidance for food waste collection.
The visit concluded with a tour of Olleco’s Aylesbury facility, where participants observed their depackaging process and received further insights into their digesting, gas-to-grid, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems.
We wish to thank Olleco for hosting the visit, as well as WRAP, Jacqui, and Miguel for their invaluable contributions. We look forward to continued collaboration with WRAP and are pleased that Sian has agreed to participate in further discussions within the ADBA Food Waste Working Group.
For more information, contact the ADBA Policy Team at policysupport@adbioresources.org.
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