What Happens To The Dried Food Waste?

Bergmann Direct have a scheme available to collect the dried food waste residue from the dryer in special containers containing 1000kg of dried food waste powder. In practical terms you need to have at least 15-20 tonnes of wet food waste per annum (about seven 120L wheelie bins of food waste a week) to take full advantage of the scheme. We take it to an anaerobic digestion plant. There is a small charge but it is typically 10% of the price of a wheelie bin collection. Ask us for details.

Most users have the dried residue collected by a normal food waste collector in 120L or 240L wheelie bins. There are then five typical destinations.

Commercial Composting Facility

The most popular and favoured option. Dried food residue contains all the mineral ingredients like nitrogen and potash although the bacteria and pathogens have been removed. At the composting facility, it is mixed with raw food waste and green waste to make commercially saleable compost.

Anaerobic Digestion Plant (AD)

AD plants take dry and wet organic waste and add water and organic polymers to get the optimum mix for the decomposition to produce biogas, a renewable fuel and fertilizer.

Incineration Facility or Waste to Energy Plant

Depending on where you are in the UK, food waste could be incinerated. Older incineration plants are giving way to purpose-built Waste to Energy plants which generate electricity for sale to the grid. The dried food waste has a high calorific value and can be burned successfully in biomass boilers to generate hot water and heating.

Soil Amendment

Dried food waste residue can be spread on your own grounds and mixed with other soils or compost, depending upon local regulations. The mineral content of the food waste will enhance the soil. The term ‘soil amendment’ is an official description of any additive which is designed to improve the quality of soil.

Landfill Sadly, a lot of food waste in England is still landfilled but the proportion is declining. Landfill of all waste has been illegal in Scotland since 2014. The rest of the UK is catching up. If you want your dried food waste residue to go to a sustainable destination such as a composting facility of AD plant, speak to your food waste collector and ask to see the audit trail. In this day and age, there is no need to landfill food waste, whether dried or not and you should engage with a food waste collector who will ensure this does not happen.