Anaerobic digestion getting a boost in Britain. The recycling advocate WRAP has pushed for the widespread adoption of the process that converts food waste (and anything organic) into energy.
WRAP, or Waste & Resources Action Programme, has called for the installation of more digesters to process excess food. use of the process. It is now running trials in conjunction with 17 localities.
Increased anaerobic digestion fits in well with the 2007 Waste Strategy for England put out by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs(DEFRA). Here’s David Miliband MP, the former head of DEFRA and current Foreign Secretary, on the matter:
With anaerobic digestion, we are progressing with due speed so we can make progress in that area.
There’s only one digester processing food waste in the U.S.–in Davis, Calif.–and it’s temporarily down. There are also a few ongoing experiments around the nation. With energy dominating much of the environmental debate, expect to hear more about anaerobic digestion in the near future–both on this site and elsewhere.