Homes food waste to go to Pyle plant
ALL food waste collected from homes in Bridgend county borough is to be recycled locally at the new Agrivert plant in Stormy Down.
Bridgend County Borough Council and Swansea Council have both agreed a 15-year contract for all of their household food waste to be processed at the hi-tech plant, which opened eight months ago near Pyle.
The councils have joined forces to send the food waste they collect from the kerbside – around 18,000 tonnes a year – to be processed by anaerobic digestion at the plant, so that it is used first to generate electricity before being literally ploughed back into the food chain as organic fertiliser which will be applied to around 3,000 acres of nearby farm land.
The scheme is being supported with Welsh Government funding and will help achieve ambitious Wales-wide recycling targets of 70 per cent by 2025.
The contract will begin later this month, and Councillor Hywel Williams, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Depu- ty Leader said: “It’s a huge plus that our food waste is now going to be processed within the county borough itself as it’s certainly the most environmentally-friendly option for us.
“As well as helping to reduce our carbon footprint, this arrangement means that the by-products of our residents’ food waste will be used locally, while it also benefits local employment. It’s a winwin situation.
“It has also been cost effective to work in collaboration with Swansea Council on the procurement of this new contract, and I would also like to acknowledge the support we have received from Welsh Government during this process.”
Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, said: “Wales leads the way in the UK when it comes to recycling and we are well on the way to achieving our 70 per cent target by 2024/25.
“To reach our target we need to encourage householders to recycle food waste and I welcome the new contract and commitment by Swansea and Bridgend councils to increasing food waste recycling.”
Food waste in Bridgend County Borough had previously been taken to a food waste processing plant in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Agrivert’s Parc Stormy plant already provides food recycling services for Ceredigion, Powys and Pembrokeshire councils and local businesses. The plant processes 48,000 tonnes of food and liquid wastes each year, generating 3MW of renewable electricity, which is enough energy to power 5,900 homes.
Alexander Maddan, Agrivert’s chief executive added: “We are delighted to be working with Bridgend and Swansea.
“It is important to recycle food waste within the region that it is collected and return valuable resources such as fertiliser and energy back to the local area. We look forward to working closely with Bridgend and Swansea council and residents alike to increase their food capture rates and support them in meeting future recycling targets.”