Food Waste Treatment Pricing Sees Fluctuations Affected by Increase in AD Plants
28 August 2012 - As from this month, the guide pricing for food waste treatment listed on letsrecycle.com is to be split into a separate costing for anaerobic digestion and in-vessel composting - this reflects the growing divergence in gate fees due to rising competition in the AD sector.
According to the Government’s recent reporting on anaerobic digestion, the number of waste-fed AD facilities in the UK has risen from two in 2005 to 48 at present, which organics recyclers say has caused a spike in competition that has put downward pressure on gate fees.
Until now, for food waste treatment prices included those for green waste treatment and food waste treatment (in £ per tonne), alongside the price paid for a cubic metre of waste derived compost.
Now, the organics guide prices have been split to reflect a divergence in cost based on the actual processing technology.
Chair of the Organics Recycling Association (AfOR), Mike Orr, has said however that the gate fees for organic waste have always been relatively volatile with wide variations according to regions, type and the proximity of treatment facilities. Yet it is the increasing number of AD plants which are now significantly affecting food waste treatment prices.