Food waste disposal units in UK households: the need for policy intervention.

The EU Landfill Directive requires Member States to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste disposed of to landfill. This has been a key driver for the establishment of new waste management options, particularly in the UK, which in the past relied heavily on landfill for the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). MSW in the UK is managed by Local Authorities, some of which in a less conventional way have been encouraging the installation and use of household food waste disposal units (FWDs) as an option to divert food waste from landfill. This study aimed to evaluate the additional burden to water industry operations in the UK associated with this option, compared with the benefits and related savings from the subsequent reductions in MSW collection and disposal. A simple economic analysis was undertaken for different FWD uptake scenarios, using the Anglian Region as a case study. Results demonstrated that the significant savings from waste collection arising from a large-scale uptake of FWDs would outweigh the costs associated with the impacts to the water industry. However, in the case of a low uptake, such savings would not be enough to cover the increased costs associated with the wastewater provision. As a result, this study highlights the need for policy intervention in terms of regulating the use of FWDs, either promoting them as an alternative to landfill to increase savings from waste management, or banning them as a threat to wastewater operations to reduce potential costs to the water industry

Food waste co-digestion with sewage sludge--realising its potential in the UK.

The application of anaerobic co-digestion of food waste with sewage sludge, although well established in many European countries, is still in its infancy in the UK. This process has many benefits to offer, with a successful application often associated with increased renewable energy potential, outweighing constraints associated with the variability of food waste and its handling requirements prior to co-digestion. With both regulations and water infrastructures designed and constructed on the basis of linear views and sectorial requirements and conditions and technologies from the past in many parts of the world, in the UK, sewage sludge and food waste digestion operations are also under very different regulatory and management regimes. With sustainability requiring that we do not address single issues in isolation, but through a systems approach that delivers integrated solutions, co-digestion of food waste with sewage sludge could become such a solution. If carefully applied, co-digestion can deliver beneficial synergies for the water industry and authorities responsible for food waste management. The collaboration of all relevant stakeholders and regulators to support changes to current regulatory frameworks to enable this, is proposed as the way forward, particularly as their complexity has been identified as the major hurdle to the implementation of co-digestion in the UK

Enhanced biogas production and performance assessment of a full-scale anaerobic digester with acid phase digestion

© 2017 Acid phase digestion pretreatment resulted in an increase in biogas production and volatile solids (VS) removal at the West Camden plant which was fed with only waste activated sludge. Without the acid phase digesters, the specific methane yield of waste activated sludge (WAS) was 190 L/kgVSadded, whereas a specific methane yield of WAS of 231 L/kg VSadded was observed from sludge sampled from the acid phase digester. The specific methane yield obtained from BioWin® simulation was 331 L/kgVSadded and was slightly higher than that from BMP assessment (231 L/kgVSadded). In addition, the overall VS removal values obtained from BioWin® simulation (44%) and biomethane potential (BMP) evaluation (49%) were close to the actual VS removal value (45%) achieved by the plant. The consistency between full scale evaluation data, BioWin® simulation, and BMP assessment suggests that BioWin® simulation and BMP study can be used to guide future design and optimisation of acid phase digestion pretreatment to intensify anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge

Food waste co-digestion with sewage sludge--realising its potential in the UK.

The application of anaerobic co-digestion of food waste with sewage sludge, although well established in many European countries, is still in its infancy in the UK. This process has many benefits to offer, with a successful application often associated with increased renewable energy potential, outweighing constraints associated with the variability of food waste and its handling requirements prior to co-digestion. With both regulations and water infrastructures designed and constructed on the basis of linear views and sectorial requirements and conditions and technologies from the past in many parts of the world, in the UK, sewage sludge and food waste digestion operations are also under very different regulatory and management regimes. With sustainability requiring that we do not address single issues in isolation, but through a systems approach that delivers integrated solutions, co-digestion of food waste with sewage sludge could become such a solution. If carefully applied, co-digestion can deliver beneficial synergies for the water industry and authorities responsible for food waste management. The collaboration of all relevant stakeholders and regulators to support changes to current regulatory frameworks to enable this, is proposed as the way forward, particularly as their complexity has been identified as the major hurdle to the implementation of co-digestion in the UK

Food waste disposal units in UK households: the need for policy intervention.

The EU Landfill Directive requires Member States to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste disposed of to landfill. This has been a key driver for the establishment of new waste management options, particularly in the UK, which in the past relied heavily on landfill for the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW). MSW in the UK is managed by Local Authorities, some of which in a less conventional way have been encouraging the installation and use of household food waste disposal units (FWDs) as an option to divert food waste from landfill. This study aimed to evaluate the additional burden to water industry operations in the UK associated with this option, compared with the benefits and related savings from the subsequent reductions in MSW collection and disposal. A simple economic analysis was undertaken for different FWD uptake scenarios, using the Anglian Region as a case study. Results demonstrated that the significant savings from waste collection arising from a large-scale uptake of FWDs would outweigh the costs associated with the impacts to the water industry. However, in the case of a low uptake, such savings would not be enough to cover the increased costs associated with the wastewater provision. As a result, this study highlights the need for policy intervention in terms of regulating the use of FWDs, either promoting them as an alternative to landfill to increase savings from waste management, or banning them as a threat to wastewater operations to reduce potential costs to the water industry

The household use of food waste disposal units as a waste management option: A review

Municipal solid waste (MSW) consists of a high proportion of biodegradable matter, which when disposed to landfill decomposes leading to the formation of gas and leachate. Concerns over the environmental impacts of landfill emissions have resulted in efforts to identify alternative management options for MSW. Food waste constitutes a significant fraction of MSW, and its management presents considerable challenges due to its highly putrescible nature and the environmental, public health, and amenity implications. Food waste disposal units (FWDs) were introduced to the United States in 1927 as convenient and hygienic means to grind food waste at source and dispose of it directly to the sewer for treatment with wastewater. However, although FWDs are used in many countries throughout the world, their potential as a waste management option has not been fully considered. The authors review existing literature on the potential impacts of FWD use and investigate whether there are sufficient data to ascertain the sustainability of these units. Findings demonstrate that the use of FWDs is effective in reducing the amount of food waste disposed of to landfill. However, the impacts of their use on water consumption, sewerage system, and wastewater treatment processes require further investigation before this option can be accepted as a sustainable alternative to landfill. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

The household use of food waste disposal units as a waste management option: A review

Municipal solid waste (MSW) consists of a high proportion of biodegradable matter, which when disposed to landfill decomposes leading to the formation of gas and leachate. Concerns over the environmental impacts of landfill emissions have resulted in efforts to identify alternative management options for MSW. Food waste constitutes a significant fraction of MSW, and its management presents considerable challenges due to its highly putrescible nature and the environmental, public health, and amenity implications. Food waste disposal units (FWDs) were introduced to the United States in 1927 as convenient and hygienic means to grind food waste at source and dispose of it directly to the sewer for treatment with wastewater. However, although FWDs are used in many countries throughout the world, their potential as a waste management option has not been fully considered. The authors review existing literature on the potential impacts of FWD use and investigate whether there are sufficient data to ascertain the sustainability of these units. Findings demonstrate that the use of FWDs is effective in reducing the amount of food waste disposed of to landfill. However, the impacts of their use on water consumption, sewerage system, and wastewater treatment processes require further investigation before this option can be accepted as a sustainable alternative to landfill. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC