Resource Use

Welsh food waste plant produces certified biofertiliser

GwyriAD food waste recycling plant has become the first Welsh plant to achieve the Publicly Available Specification PAS 110 status for its biofertiliser.

Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd (REAL) runs the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme (BCS), which demonstrates compliance with the PAS 110 specification. This means that the biofertiliser derived from the anaerobic digestion (AD) process is certified to be of consistent quality and fit for purpose.

GwyriAD biofertiliser certifiedThe 11,500-tonne AD plant at Llwyn Isaf, developed and operated by Biogen, processes food waste from homes and commercial food producers to generate a liquid fertiliser (digestate) and ‘enough renewable electricity each year to power more than 700 homes’.

The plant was developed as part of the Wales Procurement Programme. This programme was set up by the Welsh Government to develop a network of AD plants across Wales that would make it easer for local authorities to recycle their food waste.

Only 18 out of 50 food waste AD plants in the UK have achieved PAS 110. Biogen also has two other plants in, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, which have achieved the industry certification.

The BCS certification means that local authorities can count food waste AD towards their recycling targets. It is also meant as a guarantee that the digestate produced is safe (meaning no waste handling permits or controls are required) and of a high quality.

“Help boost confidence in our AD process”

Julian O’Neill, CEO of Biogen, said: “We are delighted that GwyriAD has become our third AD plant to achieve PAS 110. The fact that the biofertiliser produced by our plants can now be defined as a product rather than a waste can only help boost confidence in our AD process with our partners in the farming community.”

Ciaran Burns, Certification Manager at REAL, said: “This project is an exemplar for the industry. Working together, the Welsh Government, WRAP Cymru and Biogen have delivered a plant [that] ideally meets the needs of the local authority whilst deriving maximum economic and environmental benefit from the food waste inputs. This project sets the standard for others in Wales to follow.”

Read more about the updated quality protocol for anaerobic digestion or about Prosiect GwyriAD.