Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a well established process within the UK waste management sector, with a history spanning more than a century. The Exeter sewage works AD plant is noted as the UK’s first anaerobic digestate plant built in 1895 with the purpose of producing methane gas for lighting street lamps and buildings. It wasn’t until the 1970’s when technology had moved on that modern food waste AD plants emerged.
Today the UK has over 700 operational anaerobic digestate plants with at least a further 1000 new plants called for development by 2030 according to the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA). This growth reflects increasing demand for anaerobic digestion waste management, bulk organic waste disposal, and sustainable alternatives to landfill.
How Anaerobic Digestion works
An anaerobic digestate plant or, AD plant as often known, is a facility designed to break down bulk organic waste using microorganisms in an oxygen-free environment. Often described as working like a “giant stomach”, the process takes place inside large, sealed tanks known as digesters.
Materials such as food waste, slurry, sewage sludge and farm manure are fed into the digester tanks. Over several weeks, microorganisms decompose the organic material, producing:
- Biogas – a renewable energy source used to generate electricity and heat or upgraded to biomethane for injection into the gas grid
- Digestate – a nutrient-rich material used as a fertiliser or soil improver
- Anaerobic digestion therefore supports renewable energy production, organic waste reduction, and nutrient recycling, while helping businesses divert waste away from landfill.
Site Solutions & Anaerobic Digestion plants
However, not all material from the AD process can be recycled or used as a fertiliser, during the process a fraction of non-digestible and inorganic material is separated from the digestate. This residual waste is commonly referred to as AD grit or fibre and can include stones, grit, sand and plastics from food packaging. This is where Site Solutions plays a critical role.
Site Solutions provides specialist anaerobic digestion waste disposal services, focusing on the collection, transport and compliant disposal of bulk organic AD waste and by-products. Working with a trusted network of accredited partners, Site Solutions ensures AD grit, fibres and plastics are managed safely, efficiently and in full compliance with UK environmental regulations.
With experience supporting AD plants, biogas facilities and water industry operators, the team at Site Solutions delivers reliable organic waste logistics and AD by-product removal services nationwide.
Benefits of Anaerobic Digestate Plants
AD plants provide a wide range of environmental, economic and agricultural benefits, including:
- Renewable energy production
- Greenhouse gas reduction
- Waste reduction
- Nutrient recycling
- Lower energy costs
- Support for a circular economy
- Improved soil health
- Energy security
- Reduces landfill use and pollution
The future of Anaerobic Digestate plants
Given the environmental and economic benefits, continued growth of anaerobic digestion plants across the UK is expected. Some industries have forecast hundreds to thousands of new AD plants by 2030 with the integration of gas grids and expanded use across waste sectors and feedstocks.
As expansion happens, the requirement for experienced waste management partners to manage bulk organic AD waste will be essential. Site Solutions will continue to work closely with businesses to support the correct and sustainable disposal of bulk organic waste.