Did you know that all Somerset’s food waste stays in the county? It goes to an anaerobic digestion plant near Bridgwater where it is turned into electricity and nutrient-rich soil improver.
Anaerobic digestion uses micro-organisms to break down food waste in the absence of oxygen, inside an enclosed system. The methane given off during this process is collected and converted to biogas and used to generate electricity, heat or transport fuels. It also creates nutrient-rich digestate used for fertiliser for agriculture. Anaerobic digestion is not the same process as commercial composting, which is why compostable packaging is not accepted in your food waste collection.
Food waste that’s recycled instead of binned contributes less carbon and gets given a new lease of life.
