Avonmouth Food Waste Digester Opening

Following the interest in the Poundury opening a fortnight ago, we were in south west England again yesterday to see another new AD plant open. Wessex Water have been treating sewage sludge in Avonmouth for decades, and are now commissioning an 40,000 tonne food waste digestion plant developed by GENeco alongside their existing facilities.

David Heath MP, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food at Defra, officially opened the plant, joined by Wessex Water chairman Colin Skellett. Speaking after unveiling a plaque to mark the opening, Mr Heath said that the plant is “an absolutely fantastic innovation” which he is keen to see replicated.

The Minister heard from local businesses who send waste to the plant, and a local farmer who uses sewage sludge digestate from the site and is keen to take food waste digestate in future. He also heard first-hand about some of the challenges that councils face in tying up waste and renewable energy policy.

Despite these challenges, plants such as Avonmouth are yet more evidence that AD is viable in the UK, and that it can bring real benefits to businesses, farmers and the country more widely. It’s fantastic to see them in action.