“Challenges and successes across the board, but the overall picture is extremely positive” – that’s the message from leading food waste recycler, ReFood, as it unveils a new report detailing the UK’s progress in eliminating food waste from landfilll.

New Food Waste Horizons brings together insight, best practice and innovation from UK businesses in reducing, re-using and recycling food waste in all areas of the supply chain. Celebrating successes, outlining areas for improvement and highlighting remaining challenges, the report acts as an update to ReFood’s pioneering Vision 2020 manifesto.

Stakeholders that made valuable contributions to the reports include the Renewable Energy Association, National Farmers Union, Food & Drink Federation, British Retail Consortium and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Commenting on the report, Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, said: “While across the board there have been both challenges and successes, the overall picture is extremely positive. As a nation, we still have a long way to go, but zero waste to landfill is becoming ever-more achievable.

“We have seen the positive impact that technology is having on minimising waste across the supply chain, as well as creating opportunities to share and redistribute unwanted food and re-use or recycle food waste in innovative and exciting ways.

“The commercial, environmental and societal benefits of tackling food waste have gained significant traction over the past few years and it is exciting to see what can be achieved. Challenges remain, not least the lack of consistency in food waste collections at local authority level, but the government’s Waste and Resources Strategy has the potential to provide a perfectly workable policy framework.

“Ultimately, responsibility lies with all of us, with businesses, with government, with local authorities, educators and consumers. We can all play our part, whether by preventing food waste in the home, asking for doggy bags in a restaurant, donating surplus food, or simply taking every opportunity to reduce, re-use and recycle wherever possible. The benefits of tackling food waste, as this report shows, have been well-documented and we hope the latest chapter will inspire new initiatives in the future.”

ReFood’s Vision:2020 report was published in 2013 to provide a roadmap to eliminate food waste to landfill. Since launching the report, almost 800 organisations – from universities to Michelin-starred restaurants – have signed up to support the Vision’s ambition.

Simpson concluded: “I believe that celebrating success and progress is hugely important. New Food Waste Horizons does just this, while also re-aligning our path towards achieving a zero food waste future.”

The UK’s leading food waste recycler, ReFood, has launched its campaign for a third consecutive year, to tackle two issues which are brought into sharp focus during the festive period, the increase in food waste, and the plight of homelessness. The campaign will see ReFood donate money to St George’s Crypt in Leeds, Sheffield charity the Sunday Centre, Barnabus in Manchester, Liverpool’s The Whitechapel Centre and SHP in Dagenham, for every new customer who signs up for food waste collection until the end of January. In the spirit of their closed loop energy from waste process, ReFood will also be making donations towards the charities’ heating bills.

The initiative has become an annual event for ReFood, and to date has raised thousands of pounds for charity, whilst significantly reducing the amount of food waste sent to landfill.

ReFood operates a network of state-of-the-art Anaerobic Digestion (AD) processing plants across the UK, turning unavoidable food waste into renewable energy and bio-fertiliser. Around Christmas time in particular, both food waste and the problem of homelessness are brought to the fore. In the UK on Christmas day alone, we throw away 34,000 tonnes of food waste, and last year, there were 4,134 homeless people in the UK, up a startling 16% from 2015.  Through their campaign, ReFood are targeting both of these serious issues.

This year’s campaign will see donations made to one of five homeless charities for every new bin collection signed up during November, December and January, to aid their efforts in helping provide food, drink, advice and accommodation to the homeless. As well as this, ReFood will also be making a contribution towards the charities’ heating bills over the festive period, ensuring they’re able to cope with the added demand for their services.

Richard Poskitt, ReFood’s Commercial Manager, said: “This is a cause that we’re passionate about, and everyone in the business is able to come together and get behind. It’s a great opportunity for us to help those in need whilst helping businesses to dispose of their food waste in a more environmentally friendly way.”

“We’ve received great feedback from this project in previous years, so we wanted to do something bigger and better this time around. As part of previous campaigns, we’ve diverted significant amounts of food waste away from landfill, and most importantly, we’ve been able to help some brilliant causes.”

In previous years, ReFood have supported selected homeless charities, and last year raised thousands of pounds for five organisations across the country. The money raised was divided between St George’s Crypt in Leeds, Liverpool’s The Whitechapel Centre, Manchester-based Barnabus, Sheffield charity Sunday Centre and SHP in Dagenham, the same charities that will benefit again this year.

Following London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s announcement to impose additional charges on the most polluting vehicles (from 2019), ReFood, London’s newest energy-from-waste provider, has highlighted a solution. ReFood, the UK’s leading food waste recycler, opened a 160,000tonne capacity Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant in Dagenham this summer, which has started producing clean bioenergy for use in vehicles, businesses or homes.

AD is a proven technology which turns unavoidable food waste into bioenergy and fertiliser. Gas produced at the company’s other sites is already used as biomethane, which powers fleets around the UK, including Waitrose lorries. ReFood’s Dagenham site is their third plant in the UK, and draws on the company’s experience as one of Europe’s most advanced AD operators, employing some of the cleanest and safest working practices in the sector.

ReFood’s Commercial Director, Philip Simpson said: “The launch of Dagenham couldn’t come at a better time to help support this initiative. Our newest site produces clean bioenergy, and our proven technology has seen fleets reduce their emissions considerably already. The potential for public transport and municipal vehicles is enormous.”

“This all feeds into the great food waste debate – as a country we waste almost 15m tonnes every year. We can offer a closed loop situation, whereby London councils take hold of their own destiny on emissions, collecting food waste from residents, and in turn use it to power municipal vehicles. It’s a proven concept and makes perfect economic sense, whilst supporting the Mayor’s ambition.”

The site has the capacity to handle 160,000tonnes of food waste annually, one of the highest capacity sites in Europe, and will generate more than 2,000 m3/hr of methane gas. ReFood’s mission is to create a greener, safer, cheaper alternative to sending food waste to landfill.

We recently took part in a webinar for the Institute of Hospitality about the benefits of recycling food waste. Presented by our commercial director, Philip Simpson, we explained why it’s so important for hospitality businesses to do their bit to reduce the amount of food waste they generate each year.
Hospitality businesses in the UK generate a staggering 920,000 tonnes of food waste each year, 75% of which is avoidable. It’s vital that, where possible, this can be reduced, although in an industry which handles and serves such large quantities of food, we understand that it isn’t possible to eradicate waste entirely.
When unavoidable food waste does arise, businesses have a responsibility to dispose of it in an appropriate way. During the webinar, we emphasised the benefits that hospitality businesses can enjoy by choosing to recycle their food waste, and why ReFood is the greener, safer, cheaper way to dispose of food waste.
Sending food waste to landfill can be incredibly damaging to the environment, and with UK landfill set to reach full capacity by 2020, it’s no longer a viable method of disposal. We recycle food waste by Anaerobic Digestion (AD), through which we turn it into bio-fertiliser and renewable energy. Because of this, we can help to power homes, and grow crops, which will then be made into food and if wasted, will be returned to us to recycle all over again, making our process closed-loop.
Recycling your food waste with ReFood is also much safer than sending it to landfill. Our process is fully traceable, so you know exactly how your waste is processed, and where it goes. As well as this, when we collect your waste, we’ll replace your full bin with a sanitised one, making the process cleaner, and adhering to the strictest biosecurity standards.
Something which many businesses are unaware of, is that by recycling food waste through AD, you can save money, compared to the cost of sending waste to landfill. Sending food waste to landfill costs upwards of £100 per tonne, which includes disposal charge, tax and transportation. By instead recycling food waste, businesses can make savings of up to 47%. The process is simple and hassle free, we provide businesses with food recycling bins, and then collect them at a convenient time.
As the UK’s leading food waste recycler, we felt that ReFood were well placed to highlight these compelling benefits to the industry. Having established a national network, with sites in Doncaster, Widnes, and most recently, Dagenham, we are able to make food waste collections from the UK’s major cities. Our new Dagenham plant, opened in July, alone has the capacity to divert 160,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill each year.
Food waste is becoming an increasingly severe problem in the UK, and as an industry which contributes significantly to these levels of waste, hospitality businesses have a duty to look to more sustainable disposal methods. We’ve often made the case for food waste recycling, and we hope that hotels, restaurants and cafes across the UK take action to make this much-needed change.

ReFood has opened a new state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Dagenham following the success of their Doncaster and Widnes sites. The plant was opened by Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor (Environment and Energy) and Norbert Rethmann, Honorary Chairman of the RETHMANN Group Supervisory Board. The site will act as a showcase of industry-leading food waste recycling technology.

One of the most important single site investments in the history of the SARIA Group, ReFood Dagenham will convert inedible food waste (collected from customers in and around London) into renewable energy and sustainable biofertiliser. The site is capable of processing more than 160,000 tonnes of food waste every year, generating 14 million m3 of biogas (enough to power 12,600 homes per annum).

As well as displacing 73,600 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking 14,431 cars off the road, ReFood Dagenham will support Transport for London’s (TfL) Clean Air Action Plan through the generation of biomethane for gas-powered vehicles. At a later date, state-of-the-art gas upgrading equipment may also be installed on site to supply high quality road fuel.

Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, commented: “Opening ReFood Dagenham comes as part of a strategic ambition to recycle more than one million tonnes of food waste by the end of 2017 – a milestone that we are on track to achieve.”

“Since our first year of production in Doncaster in 2012, national operations have grown by more than 250%. ReFood Dagenham will play an important role in furthering this success, providing an environmentally-friendly waste management solution for customers in London and the surrounding areas.”

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor (Environment and Energy), added: “We’re committed to helping drive up London’s recycling rates, as well as making London zero carbon by 2050. This new facility, the first of its kind in London, is exactly the type of solution we need to help achieve this. Not only will it deal with London’s food waste, but it will also produce clean biogas to help cut the carbon emissions of the gas grid.”

ReFood Dagenham is the company’s third facility in the UK, adding to existing sites in Doncaster and Widnes. Alongside state-of-the-art AD operations, the site will also feature a transfer facility for Category 3 animal by-products (ABP), collected from butchers’ shops across the region. The facility continues the company’s long association with London, dating back more than 200 years through fat and bone collections in Silvertown under the John Knight brand.

We have been made aware of resident concern regarding planning application 17/00808/FUL (concerning the proposed excavation and installation of a biofertiliser lagoon, access area and 1.8m stock proof fence) and wish to take this opportunity to fully outline the project background and directly address the points of concern that have been raised.
Our role and the benefits of biofertiliser
The proposed lagoon development at Red House Farm in High Melton will be used solely for the storage of an environmentally-friendly biofertiliser product, ReGrow.  ReGrow is our fully-accredited, PAS110 certified biofertiliser, produced at the ReFood Doncaster food waste Anaerobic Digestion facility.
ReGrow is completely natural, highly sustainable and a 100% environmentally-friendly by-product of the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. This sees food waste naturally degrade in the absence of oxygen, releasing high-quality methane gas that is used to generate renewable energy.
With high levels of key growth nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous, ReGrow is an alternative to chemical fertiliser, offsetting the use of chemicals in the production of food and eliminating the need for mining materials. What’s more, its use can dramatically improve soil fertility and crop growth productivity.
Fully-pasteurised, accredited and safe for use on crops grown for human consumption, ReGrow is SSAFO compliant and follows the Anaerobic Digestion Quality Protocol (ADQP). Additional details, including full certification and accreditation, are available at www.regrow-biofertiliser.com/about-regrow.
Project application and mitigation measures
Plans for the lagoon have been carefully considered to ensure minimal impact, both to the local community and to the surrounding built and natural environments. These include:

• Site design that minimises impact on the visual landscape
• Measures to minimise odours (including gravity-fed filling technology)
• Transport planning to reduce traffic through local villages
• Drop-off points contained within the site to prevent queueing traffic

The 4,141m2 lagoon, with a holding depth of 3.8m, will be developed in line with all necessary building and environmental regulations. The lagoon will be lined with a thick, impermeable membrane with a leak detection system, which is guaranteed for 20 years and conforms to the CIRIA 759 guidelines.
The nearest private dwelling, Roiness, is more than 1.1km away. The nearest road, Hangman Stone Lane, is approximately 65m from the site.
Controlling odours
Once complete, odour levels from the site will be minimal. Numerous measures, including the specification of a floating lagoon cover, use of a gravity-fed filling system and over ground discharge pipes, will contain atmospheric pollution.
As per regulated guidelines, the site will be registered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), ensuring its adherence to recognised transport, storage and grazing/cutting bans.
Application of the biofertiliser will take place in optimum conditions, using an umbilical system to apply material direct to ground level. As such, the resulting odour will be comparable to the spreading of manure.
Community engagement
At ReFood, we take community engagement very seriously and embrace numerous initiatives to build strong resident relationships. For example, in the development of any ReFood facility, we work closely with the local community to understand their perceptions and educate them about the site’s operations.
From discussion groups and planning evenings, to resident Open Days, we embrace the opportunity to share best practice, answer questions and work together with the local community.
As part of our community engagement activity in Doncaster, we extend an open invitation to local Parish Councils to visit ReFood Doncaster, tour the facility and learn more about the production of ReGrow biofertiliser.
Together, we can make Doncaster a more sustainable, resource-efficient and environmentally-friendly place to work and live.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The UK’s leading food waste recycler, ReFood, has revealed what the expansion of its Widnes plant will mean for the region’s recycling capability. The site, which was inaugurated in 2014, will be expanding by 33% with the construction of a new Anaerobic Digester (AD) tank. Once complete, the site, which accepts food waste from across the North West, will be capable of processing 160,000tonnes of food waste a year – making it one of the highest capacity AD plants in Europe.
Every year, the UK produces around 15m tonnes of food waste according to official figures, with around half of that coming from households and the remainder, businesses and other organisations. Unavoidable food waste should be treated as a resource, as it can be recycled into energy and biofertiliser, helping to close the loop on the food supply-chain.
Construction of a new 3,500 digester tank at Widnes will substantially increase food waste recycling capability in the area, with the major towns and cities of the North West set to reap the benefits. Sending food-waste to landfill can cost businesses and councils substantially more than having it recycled into energy. Typically, costs can be 46% higher.
Richard Poskitt, Commercial Manager at ReFood said: “This expansion represents a serious investment in the recycling capacity of the North West. To put things into perspective, once these works are complete, the site will have the capacity to handle all of Liverpool’s municipal food waste, whilst generating green energy for local users. Our presence in Widnes amounts to a £30m investment into the region, and our expansion will bring more jobs, both during construction and in the long-term.”
The Widnes plant is conveniently situated between the major cities of Liverpool and Manchester, just 15 miles away from the iconic Royal Liver Building. The site will be able to accept food waste from both council collections, and businesses, and ReFood’s advanced technology allows for the removal of packaging prior to recycling. The by-product from the process is turned into a high-quality fertiliser, for use by local farmers, thus completing the loop on the food supply-chain. The expansion works commenced in September and it is on a 22 week build program. The expansion will not affect the site’s current capacity during the construction process.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The UK’s leading food waste recycler, ReFood, has joined the Manchester Food Board, in order to help promote better waste management in the City and encourage businesses to divert waste away from landfill. The partnership follows the opening of ReFood’s Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant in Widnes in Summer 2014, a facility that takes food waste from across the North West, including food that’s still packaged, and turns it into renewable energy and bio-fertiliser.
The Manchester Food Board is a cross sector partnership of public, private and third sector organisations in Manchester who come together to harness the collective energy of the food sector in the City.  Chaired by Councillor Rosa Battle, Executive Member for the Environment with Manchester City Council, the board works with partners to provide a strong voice and leadership on the food agenda in Manchester, whilst working on range of commitments to improve health and create a more environmentally sustainable City.
Trudi Derbyshire, Regional Sales Manager for the North West at ReFood commented: “Working alongside organisations who are looking to create a more sustainable future has always been important to us. We’re delighted to be involved with this partnership, and to share our expertise about how food waste can be better managed in Manchester and the wider region.”
“Every year as a nation, we send millions of tonnes of food waste to landfill, unnecessarily. Not only is it environmentally harmful, but it’s also increasingly expensive. For food-intensive businesses, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in particular, this can be a real problem. The capacity of our Widnes site alone is 120,000tonnes, processing food waste 24/7, 365 days a year, presenting a truly sustainable closed-loop alternative to landfill.”
Councillor Rosa Battle, Chair of the Manchester Food Board, said: “Our commitment to ensure a sustainable future for Manchester is designed to improve the physical, mental and social well-being of Manchester residents. Working with a range of partners and communities across the region, we are determined to make local food better, healthier and more accessible. Reducing avoidable food waste, to ensure that surplus food can be rightly diverted to those in need, is a vital part of this strategy.”
ReFood’s Widnes processing plant was inaugurated in Summer 2014 and is capable of generating 1,800m3 biomethane gas per hour. The plant represents a £20m investment in the region and has already processed hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food waste since inauguration. ReFood collects from a 50mile radius, stretching across the North West and into surrounding areas.

ReFood, the UK’s leading food waste recycler, has launched a new 24-hour service aimed at dealing with emergency food-waste situations faced by businesses, allowing for quick, safe, secure and cost-effective disposal.
Launched in response to increasingly strict rules faced by businesses to ensure they safely dispose of waste food, the disposal service can be called upon via a 24-hour hotline, which will be monitored 365 days a year. ReFood has identified a clear need for the service, to deal with a range of scenarios, such as food damaged in road incidents, freezer breakdowns or in product recall situations.
The service accepts food waste, beverages including wine and beer and branded retail products (including pre-packaged products) and securely disposes of them via Anaerobic Digestion, the greener, cheaper and safer alternative to landfill.
Philip Simpson, Commercial Director of ReFood said: “Inevitably, in the manufacture, distribution and retail of food, things can occasionally go wrong. This service will help organisations rectify those situations and help prevent any negative impacts. ReFood is a responsive organisation, and we pride ourselves on the professional way in which we operate. This new emergency service will help ensure we remain at the forefront of food waste recycling, whilst offering the highest levels of biosecurity.”
Anaerobic Digestion is one way that businesses and organisations can reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill, helping to promote a more sustainable way of working, whilst reducing costs. ReFood manages the entire process of collection and disposal, unlike many AD operators, therefore ensuring enhanced biosecurity, as well as supplying destruction certificates to guarantee industry-leading traceability.
A key element of ReFood’s offer is the audit trail available, proving that waste food has been professionally dealt with, whilst ensuring all current laws and regulations are complied with, providing full security and peace of mind for customers.
The 24-hour hotline can be reached by calling: 0800 085 4115

• Wasted Christmas Sprouts Could Power a Home for 3 years
• Energy required to power home for 57 years thrown away annually
• Food waste recycler reveals energy potential of wasted dinners

 
More than a third of the sprouts produced in the UK are harvested for the Christmas period[1], but despite this, a quarter of the population claim to ‘hate’ the vegetable[2]. This year, we’re highlighting the issue of food waste over the festive period, by revealing the energy equivalent of Christmas food waste. 

 
If all the wasted food at Christmas was recycled into energy (rather than sent to landfill), via a process called Anaerobic Digestion (AD), we could power the average medium sized home for 57 years[6]. That’s the message the we’re keen to get across this year, combining research from several sources to raise awareness of the issue.
AD turns food waste into energy, by breaking food down into natural biogas. This can then be turned into energy to power homes, factories and offices. Despite the technology being well-established, around six millions of tonnes of waste food is still sent to landfill every year[7], causing a significant environmental impact.
Philip Simpson, Commercial Director of ReFood said: “Sprouts are often derided for their gas-producing qualities, but in this case, that could actually be a good thing. Christmas is a time for families coming together, and enjoyment, but over the years, it’s also become a time of waste. These statistics highlight the problem we have in the UK, around wasted food. Obviously the first priority is to eliminate waste, and address the needs of food charities. But when that’s not possible, we need to have a more sustainable attitude to dealing with this waste problem.”
“Some businesses still don’t realise that sending food waste to landfill, not only impacts the environment, but is also costly and outdated. The cost of sending food waste to landfill can be 46% higher, than disposing of it via AD.”
In 2016, several high-profile initiatives have been launched to address the UK’s food waste problem, with endorsements from celebrities, such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, organisations, such as WRAP, and from Government.
 

Statistic sources

One tonne of food waste can create 300kWh of energy

Source: Biogas Info

 The average ‘medium’ sized house uses a total of 16,700kWh of energy p/a.

Source: Ovo

[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/19-things-might-not-know-brussels-sprouts/

[2] http://metro.co.uk/2014/08/21/new-survey-reveals-10-popular-foods-british-people-secretly-hate-4840167/

[3] Estimated wastage – Unliver 2014 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas/food-drink/over-4-million-christmas-dinners-are-thrown-away-each-year-a6757211.html

[4] One tonne of food waste can create 300kWh of energy

[5] The average ‘medium’ sized house uses a total of 16,700kWh of energy p/a.

[6] Assuming a modest portion size of 750g, and 4.2m dinners estimated to be thrown away annually (Unilever), 3,150tonnes of Christmas dinner is thrown away every year, equating to around 945,000kWh of energy

[7] http://www.vision2020.info/about/ Continue reading “ReFood brings Christmas food waste into perspective”

In the run up to one of the busiest times of the year for food producers, retailers and charities, as the UK’s leading food waste recycler, we have launched a campaign to reduce business food waste and donate money to homeless charities.

Last year, our campaign raised £4,000 for our chosen charities and diverted an additional 192tonnes of waste food away from landfill. This year’s project will see donations made to homeless charities for every new bin collection signed up during November, December and January.

The charities involved in the initiative all work with homeless, vulnerable people, an issue that comes into particular focus around Christmas. Leeds-based St George’s Crypt; Manchester charity Barnabus; independent, Liverpool-based charity The Whitechapel Centre; SHP in Dagenham; and Sheffield’s Sunday Centre, will all receive financial support from the campaign.

Philip Simpson, Commercial Director at ReFood, said: “This campaign highlights two important issues over the festive period: homelessness and wastefulness. We were delighted that last year’s campaign could support the vital work these charities do, whilst promoting an important message about diverting waste food from landfill. With the 2016 festive period just around the corner, we’re confident that this year’s campaign will be a similar success. We’d encourage all businesses involved in the food supply chain to think about their waste strategy, and recycle any waste food, and this campaign serves to highlight that.”

Over last year’s busy winter months, ReFood provided waste collection services to a total of 2,566 new businesses, meaning that significant amounts were raised for the chosen causes. The campaign also prevented an additional 192 tonnes of food waste from going to landfill, reducing carbon emissions equivalent to the average produced by a household over a 40-year period.

As industry leaders in food waste recycling, ReFood understands the importance of championing sustainable practices across all industries. Because of this, we were proud to sponsor the ‘Corporate Sustainability Business of the Year’ award at the CIWM Sustainability and Resource awards recently.
Each year, the awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of businesses and organisations in the sustainability, resource and waste industry, with entrants across a range of sectors including education, manufacturing and the public sector. This year, Aldi were the worthy winners of the award ReFood sponsored. The retailer was celebrated for their work with responsible sourcing and a range of customer-facing environmental and health initiatives.
Progress towards a brighter, more environmentally sustainable future is only achievable if large businesses and corporations get on board with initiatives that promote change, which is why it is important to celebrate those who have taken the steps to do so.
Celebrating what’s great about the initiatives businesses like Aldi are taking a lead on goes a long way to help deliver the message. Through sponsoring events such as this, we’re looking to celebrate the good and help inspire others to reduce their food waste.

SARIA’s Doncaster site – which comprises businesses operating across the food chain by-products processing industry – is now running completely off-grid and using 100% renewable energy, thanks to its ReFood anaerobic digestion (AD) plant.
Recycling more than 160,000 tonnes of food waste every year, the state-of-the-art facility generates 5MWh of electricity via combined heat and power (CHP), alongside hot water and heat. A sustainable biofertiliser is also produced as a by-product of the process, which is used by local farmers to support crop growth.
As part of a group-wide sustainability initiative, a percentage of this energy is now being used to power other businesses sharing the Ings Road site. These include Nortech Foods, which produces an extensive range of animal and vegetable fats for catering and consumer use; SPF and APC GB, which produce quality ingredients for use within pet food products; and the SARVAL pet food plant.
A significant number of the products manufactured by these businesses are widely used across the UK’s retail, hospitality and catering sectors. For example, pet food ingredients prepared by businesses operating from SARIA’s Doncaster site are sold via every major supermarket chain in the UK, while fats produced and packaged by Nortech Foods are used throughout the manufacturing and catering sectors.
With ReFood Doncaster providing electricity, heating and hot water, this means that the site is powered entirely by renewable energy; running completely off-grid. In addition, any food waste produced as a by-product of manufacturing processes is sent directly to the ReFood facility, making SARIA’s Doncaster operations completely self-sufficient in terms of energy production and food waste recycling – a true example of best practice manufacturing.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at SARIA Ltd, comments: “With a group-wide commitment to energy efficiency, realising our goal of achieving off-grid status is a noteworthy achievement – demonstrating true commitment to meeting food sector sustainability targets.
“Through continued investment and our pioneering AD process, we are now able to not only provide homes and businesses across the region with access to a complexly sustainable energy source, but also minimise our own reliance on fossil fuels.”
As Europe’s largest food chain by-products processor, SARIA prioritises sustainability across its business operations. As well as boasting a highly environmentally-friendly vehicle fleet, sustainable building methods are utilised in every new site development and expansion project undertaken. What’s more, each of the company’s UK facilities feature state-of-the-art energy saving measures to minimise environmental impact.

Ronan Keane, the winner of ReFood’s pioneering waste management scholarship programme – Sustainable Visionaries – has graduated from Huddersfield University with a first class honours degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
Awarded in July 2015, following a comprehensive judging process, the industry-first project saw Ronan compete against undergraduates from across the UK to demonstrate why he believed minimising waste was key to achieving a circular economy.
Receiving a £5,000 scholarship to progress his studies, alongside expert mentoring from the ReFood logistics team, Ronan benefitted from unparalleled access to the company’s logistics data and professional insight.
His dissertation – ‘Increasing the rate of commercial food waste recycling’ – profiled the ReFood business, proposing a new logistics model to make small volume collections more cost-effective. Receiving a first class honours degree, Ronan now plans to take up a full-time career in the logistics sector, focusing on sustainable transportation management.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, commented: “As our very first Sustainable Visionary, we’re incredibly proud of Ronan for graduating from Huddersfield University with a first class honours degree.
“With such comprehensive industry understanding, passion for sustainability and a pioneering approach to integrating new ideas into corporate logistics, his talent was obvious from the outset.
“Being able to support his studies and offer advice and guidance to further his professional development over the past 12 months has been an absolute pleasure, and we wish him well for his future career!”
Ronan added: “I can’t thank the ReFood team enough for their ongoing support and guidance throughout my final year at university. The Sustainable Visionaries scholarship has been tremendously beneficial – helping to guide my university studies and provide a stepping stone for my future career in logistics.”
ReFood’s Sustainable Visionaries student scholarship programme is part of an ongoing initiative to eradicate food waste to landfill by 2020. ReFood, which operates food waste recycling services for organisations nationwide, helps companies to lower waste management costs by more than 46% and embrace an environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional disposal processes.

This week, ReFood – the UK’s leading food waste recycler – started construction work on its brand new £32m AD plant in Dagenham. Coming as part of a long-term investment programme, the state-of-the-art gas to grid (G2G) facility will create up to 60 new jobs in the local area.
Capable of recycling 160,000 tonnes of food waste each year, ReFood Dagenham will be able to generate more than 2,000 m3/hr of methane gas. Using G2G technology, this will be upgraded to reflect the qualities of natural gas – allowing it to be injected directly into the national gas grid and used to power more than 10,000 homes across the region.
The plant will be located at the London Sustainable Industries Park (SIP) in Dagenham Dock and is expected to open in summer 2017. When fully operational, more than 60 jobs will be created across logistics, sales and operations.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, commented: “Starting construction on our new site in Dagenham is truly a landmark achievement. In London and the surrounding areas, a significant volume of food waste is generated every year and ReFood Dagenham will play a crucial role in recycling this waste. Thus, helping businesses to lower their operational costs, become more sustainable and, most importantly, divert a highly valuable resource away from landfill.
“Our UK operations have grown by 250% since our first year of production in 2012 and we have ambitious plans to further build on this success.”
ReFood Dagenham will be the company’s third plant in the UK, adding to its existing AD sites in Doncaster and Widnes. The plant will also provide a transfer facility for Category 3 animal by-products (ABP), collected from butchers’ shops across London and the South East by ReFood, which is due to open this Autumn.
The new facility continues ReFood’s long association with London. Previously operated by ReFood’s sister company, John Knight Ltd, this is the second time that the operation has relocated since its formation in London almost 200 years ago, when the business moved from Wapping to its current Silvertown site in 1880.
For more information about ReFood, the company’s latest AD facility in Dagenham, or its comprehensive food waste recycling service, visit www.refood.co.uk.

ReFood officially unveils its 2015 Sustainable Visionary | SARIA Ltd

School children from across the North West will be getting creative this month, as they compete to design a fun new truck livery for food waste recycling specialist, ReFood.

The Widnes plant has launched its ‘ReDesign a ReFood Truck’ competition, following the success of the campaign in Doncaster. The competition will see one lucky entrant’s artwork featured on the firm’s new dedicated waste disposal vehicle and displayed throughout the region on daily collection runs.

Alongside the creative contest, each school participating will receive an education pack; designed to spread the message of minimising food waste and encourage pupils to consider how they can reduce the volume of leftovers that goes to landfill.  With advice and engaging lesson plans, the pack will help classrooms around the region reduce their reliance on landfill for disposing of food waste.

Providing food waste recycling services to schools and businesses across the country, ReFood turns food waste, such as peelings and leftovers, into renewable energy at its dedicated anaerobic digestion facility at Widnes.  As well as being an environmentally-friendly alternative to throwing it into general waste, the ReFood service is completely circular for the food chain – as the by-product produced is a nutrient-rich fertiliser used to grow new crops in the local area.

Trudi Derbyshire, regional sales manager at ReFood Widnes comments: “Our competition offers schools a great opportunity to get students thinking creatively about recycling food waste.

“As well as encouraging more schools across the region to make the switch to food waste recycling, we want to make the whole process more fun and understandable for the younger generation.  ‘ReDesign a ReFood Truck’ is an idea we’ve wanted to do for a long time and will get children involved with a great project that supports sustainability at school.”

The most creative and compelling design will feature on the truck, which will also be named after the winning pupil, as well as featuring a logo of the school they attend.  Following the announcement, the winner and their classmates will be taken on a tour of ReFood’s Widnes plant, as well as receiving £500 in book vouchers for their school.

Schools can register their interest and obtain an information pack by calling the ReFood team on 0800 011 3214.

Austerfield Study Centre (ASCL) is holding a Christmas fair to raise much needed funds to support its ongoing work in education and community support services for families.  For more that 40 years the Centre has provided environmental awareness day trips for schools, and residential visits for Scout & Guide groups as well as pupils from some of the most deprived areas in the borough.

The fair is to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated hall at the Old Primary School in Austerfield.  The hall has been recently refurbished, providing a community building suitable for a wide range of additional activities to be organised for the local community.

The Christmas fair will be held on 6 December from 1-4pm and there will be something for all the family such as the Harworth brass band, craft and gift stalls, delicious local deli goods, fresh Christmas wreaths, raffles and competitions and of course a variety of festive food!

This milestone is a far cry from 18 months ago when the centre faced the real threat of closure due to local authority cutbacks.  However, through the vision of volunteer Sue Rose who succeeded in galvanising the support of the local authority, Doncaster community and local businesses, ASCL is now a not for profit social enterprise with the hope of a more sustainable future.

Sue Rose, volunteer director, at ASCL, said: “We’re thrilled and proud to be hosting a Christmas fair after a challenging, but ultimately successful and rewarding year and hope people will come along to celebrate and enjoy the festivities with us.  The support from SARIA, Bawtry Carbon International and other companies has been so helpful and has enabled us to remain open.  But the ongoing running of the facility means we are always looking for additional volunteers and sponsors and the fair is an ideal way to showcase the good work ASCL does.”

The volunteer team have many ideas to improve other old facilities on the site such as adding new dormitories to help create an even better learning environment.  The team is currently considering different funding methods to really get the site on the map for Doncaster and South Yorkshire.

Philip Simpson, commercial director at SARIA, formerly PDM, based in Doncaster said:  “As a sustainable business that turns waste into new products, SARIA understands the important lessons that nature has to offer and the Austerfield Study Centre is a great way for schoolchildren to explore this.  The centre is an important asset to families in Doncaster in many ways and we are delighted to support the cause and efforts that have helped to secure a longer-term future.”

Businesses and individuals interested in supporting the centre or enquiring about hiring the facilities should contact the centre on 01302 710415 or info@austerfieldstudycentre.co.uk

Help save Austerfield Centre, help save a generation.

ReFood, the UK’s leading food waste recycler, has announced the industry’s first dedicated scholarship programme to inspire the next generation of sustainable students.  ‘Sustainable Visionaries’, will see undergraduates from across the UK compete to demonstrate why they believe minimising waste is key to achieving a circular economy.
From agriculture to logistics, to manufacture, retail and hospitality, the project will see hundreds of students competing in order to win a £5,000 bursary to progress their studies.  Already, the programme has seen a huge level of interest, with organisations such as Sheffield Hallam University, Moulton Agricultural College and Leith’s School of Food and Wine join as partners and offer their backing.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, commented “Although using food caddies and recycling plate scrapings is becoming routine for homeowners, binning food waste is still common place among businesses throughout the food chain.  However, here at ReFood, we believe there is an alternative option.  We turn all types of food into renewable resources via anaerobic digestion, capturing the biogas produced during the natural rotting process and using it to generate heat and electricity.
“As well as making huge financial savings, recycling unwanted food offers businesses a great way to mitigate their waste management costs and make a real environmental difference.  In fact, for those organisations keen to boost their sustainability or meet CSR targets, recycling food waste is the perfect solution.
“The decision to partner with organisations in each sector of the food chain and extend a scholarship programme to students across the country is part of our wider initiatives to inspire the food waste champions of tomorrow and eradicate food waste to landfill by 2020.”
The idea is simple.  Undergraduates from each partnering organisation have been asked to develop a 500 word entry, detailing why they believe reducing food waste can help the UK achieve 2020 targets.
After receiving these entries, ReFood will choose a ‘sustainable champion’ from each partner, who demonstrates the most passion for minimising food waste.  Each champion will then be asked to visit ReFood’s state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion facility in Doncaster and present their ideas to a panel of waste management experts.  Whoever shows the most innovation will be awarded five thousand pounds to help support their studies.
 
 

Europe’s leading food waste recycling specialist, SARIA, is throwing open the doors to two of its processing facilities for the first time. The ReFood Widnes gas-to-grid anaerobic digestion (AD) plant and SecAnim animal by-product processing facility both welcomed guests on 11-12 November for its stakeholder open days.
The ReFood Widnes AD facility opened in June this year and is the first plant of its kind in the UK. The two-day event marks the first opportunity for the public, businesses and suppliers alike to see how it turns food waste into energy to power UK homes and talk to the masterminds behind the technology.
Through the AD process, ReFood Widnes generates enough gas to power 10,000 properties each year. This is achieved by recycling 120,000 tonnes of commercial and domestic food waste and liquids to produce up to 180 million KWh of biomethane which will be transported directly to the national grid.
Andy Smith, CEO of SARIA, comments: “The development and launch of ReFood Widnes as the UK’s first AD gas-to-grid plant of its kind has been a remarkable journey. As a business we have taken our expertise and brought to life our vision to improve the way we recycle in the UK and I am now delighted we are at the stage post-launch to open our doors and showcase the technology. What’s great about these open days is that we will be joined by our suppliers, specialists in the recovery and recycling of food waste, who will be able to share their unique insights and experience.
“The event also gives businesses in the North West the opportunity to see how simple a food waste collection and recycling service is to implement, especially with ReFood’s unique bin swap system. Customers, local businesses and stakeholders have a great opportunity to see first hand the important resource that our wasted food offers and how it can be recovered and used to generate power for our homes.”
Alongside visiting the AD facility, guests also have the opportunity to tour the group’s neighbouring animal by-product processing and renewable energy generation site. Serving abattoirs, butchers’ shops, food manufacturers and supermarkets across the region, the SecAnim plant processes animal by-products securely and sustainably to produce liquid and solid bio-fuels. Both are used in SecAnim’s own bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) plant, which generates 18,000MW of renewable electricity each year, as well as steam that is used by the company’s two on-site rendering plants.
This facility was a world first when opened in 2000. Built following the BSE crisis, the plant ensures that there is a safe, secure and sustainable solution in place should such crises happen again – which did happen in 2001 with Foot & Mouth disease. The SecAnim plant forms part of the Government’s strategic response for food chain emergencies, ensuring that all material is safely destroyed. Just recently, the facility has undergone a major refurbishment to improve its performance and reduce its environmental impact.
Smith adds: “The work we do here is a vital part of the North West’s thriving food industry. For the last 90 years, we have been developing innovative solutions for handling food chain by-products and we’re delighted to be able to showcase these facilities, both of which set the benchmark for recovering food industry waste and transforming it into a valuable resource.”
SARIA’s operations in the UK are active in a wide range of sectors associated with the food chain, manufacturing quality products for use in human and animal foodstuffs, agriculture, aquaculture, and industrial applications. To find out more about the SARIA Group, visit www.saria.co.uk.

A nutrient-rich biofertiliser was launched today by ReFood, the UK’s leading food waste recycler.  Known as ReGrow, the highly sustainable fertiliser works wonders for soil fertility and crop productivity and is as beneficial to farmers as it is to consumers.
With high levels of key growth nutrients including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous ReGrow can typically double yields if applied as part of a comprehensive crop strategy.
A launch event took place at ReFood’s state-of-the-art gas-to-grid anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Widnes which was attended by some of the UK’s leading agronomists, local farmers and other industry stakeholders.
ReGrow is produced by recycling food waste via anaerobic digestion – where food waste rots naturally in the absence of oxygen.  The fertiliser this process produces is rich in the valuable nutrients contained within food and is entirely natural.  The closed loop process – which sees recycled food waste used to help grow new crops – this is highly sustainable alternative to manufactured fertilisers, and eliminates the need for mining minerals.
Since ReFood opened its first AD plant in Doncaster in 2011, the company has been developing its ReGrow product and working with leading agronomists, Anna Becvar from Earthcare Technical and Matthew Taylor from ADAS.  The first phase of product development was to secure PAS 110 certification for the AD digestate, which establishes a waste material as a product suitable for use on arable land.  Moving forward, the ReGrow team will be working closely with leading agronomists to help develop advice for farmers to gain the best results from using the fertiliser.
Anna Becvar comments: “ReFood digestate is a valuable ‘bag’ fertiliser replacement product, when used as part of an integrated approach to crop nutrient management.”
Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, comments: “We’re delighted to have launched ReGrow, a highly beneficial fertiliser certified under the Biofertiliser scheme for everyone from large scale farmers and commercial gardeners, through to consumers to utilise for either food crops or flower beds.  The trials that we’ve conducted over the last two years have demonstrated that the product can produce real benefits.  The fact that ReGrow ensures that the good nutrients found in the food we waste end up back in the land, rather than rotting in a landfill site, making using ReGrow a win-win.”
Yorkshire farmer, Jonathan Metcalfe, has been using ReGrow for the last two years as part of initial product trials.  Finding it simple to store and spread he would strongly recommend it to other farmers.  He says: “The ReGrow Biofertiliser has already made us significant cost savings in comparison with chemical fertilisers.  The digestate itself is of a consistently high standard which explains the speed at which ReFood Doncaster achieved its PAS 110 accreditation.  The nutrients are in a very available state for crops to use and as a result they are taken up quickly.  I would strongly recommend ReGrow to other farmers.”
To find out more about ReGrow and its benefits, visit www.regrow-biofertiliser.com or call 0800 0113214.

School children from across Yorkshire will be getting creative this month, as they compete to design a fun new truck livery for food waste recycling specialist, ReFood.
The Doncaster-based company has today launched its ‘ReDesign a ReFood Truck’ competition, which will see one lucky entrant’s artwork featured on the firm’s new dedicated waste disposal vehicle and displayed throughout the region on daily collection runs.
Alongside the creative contest, each school participating will receive an education pack; designed to spread the message of minimising food waste and encourage pupils to consider how they can reduce the volume of leftovers that goes to landfill.  With advice and engaging lesson plans, the pack will help classrooms around the region reduce their reliance on landfill for disposing of food waste.
Providing food waste recycling services to schools and businesses across the country, ReFood turns food waste, such as peelings and leftovers, into renewable energy at its dedicated anaerobic digestion facility at Ings Road.  As well as being an environmentally-friendly alternative to throwing it into general waste, the ReFood service is completely circular for the food chain – as the by-product produced is a nutrient-rich fertiliser used to grow new crops in the South Yorkshire area.
Laura Moffatt, regional sales manager at ReFood Doncaster comments: “Our competition offers schools a great opportunity to get students thinking creatively about recycling and food waste.
“As well as encouraging more schools across the region to make the switch to food waste recycling, we want to make the whole process more fun and understandable for the younger generation.  ‘ReDesign a ReFood Truck’ is an idea we’ve wanted to do for a long time and will get children involved with a great project that supports sustainability at school.”
“The most creative and compelling design will feature on the truck, which will also be named after the winning pupil, as well as featuring a logo of the school they attend.  Following the announcement, the winner and their classmates will be taken on a tour of ReFood’s Doncaster plant, as well as receiving £500 in book vouchers for their school.”
Schools can register their interest and obtain an information pack by calling the ReFood team on 0800 0113214.

ReFood, the Doncaster-based food waste recycler, has invested almost £700,000 in expanding its collection fleet and created 12 new jobs following growth in the number of businesses in the region diverting food waste from landfill.
The company, which collects food waste from retailers, hotels, restaurants and local tourist attractions and turns it into renewable energy, has seen significant growth since opening its anaerobic digestion plant on Ings Road in 2011.  So much so, that the company is currently doubling capacity at the plant as part of a £6m project.  As a result, the Doncaster plant will have capacity to recycle 160,000  tonnes of food wastes – such as out of date produce, plate scrapings and other unsaleable products.
ReFood has taken delivery of 10 new Volvo trucks with specialist bodies to service its collection rounds, which stretch in a 50 miles radius of Doncaster, covering areas such as Leeds, Sheffield, Barnsley, Hull and Scunthorpe.  A further 12 drivers have also been employed to operate the vehicles.  Each vehicle is able to carry 44 wheelie bins, exchanging clean bins for full ones of food waste as part of ReFood’s unique bin swap offer.  In a typical day’s work, each vehicle will see 170 bins delivered to the recycling plant.
Richard Poskitt, Commercial Manager, at ReFood comments: “This investment at ReFood Doncaster is just one element of our ongoing fleet expansion programme.  We are looking to invest in a further 50 vehicles across our nationwide business to service our expanded and new sites in Widnes, Nuneaton and Dagenham as well as replacing some of our older models.
“The new trucks are enabling us to service the needs of our increasing customer base and ensure we have the capacity to continue to grow.  More and more businesses are realising the commercial benefits of diverting food waste from landfill in terms of reduced waste costs and the potential of reduced waste collections.  Indeed, in many instances, we’ve been able to reduce waste costs by as much as 45% – such a percentage can make a real difference to the bottom line.”

The ReFood team is celebrating after being crowned ‘Best Environmental Business’ at the 2014 Yorkshire’s Finest Environment Awards.  Announced at a prestigious ceremony at The Queen’s Hotel in Leeds earlier this month, the evening saw ReFood outstrip organisations across the region to  take home the impressive accolade.

Commended for continued excellence and innovation in the environmental sector, the judges were impressed by ReFood’s investment and development in the latest waste management solutions, as well as the simplicity and efficiency of its outstanding customer offer.

Alongside providing up to 45% savings on customers’ waste costs, ReFood was recognised for revolutionising the region’s approach to food waste management by embracing anaerobic digestion to turn food waste into renewable energy and heat.  As well as significantly reducing landfill volume, this environmentally-friendly process generates enough energy to power 5,0oo homes and produces a nutrient-rich fertiliser which is used by farms across the region to grow food.

“The ReFood team is committed to leading the way in food waste collection and recycling, helping organisations across Doncaster and the surrounding areas to effectively minimise the amount of food waste sent to landfill” commented Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood.

“We’re delighted to have been recognised as Yorkshire’s Best Environmental Business; especially when shortlisted against such strong competition from the region’s leading environmental organisations.  Since opening our first anaerobic digestion facility in 2011, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of local companies looking to lower landfill volume and become more environmentally-friendly.  In fact, the demand for food waste recycling has been so high that we’ve recently invested over £6m to double our service capacity.  This will allow us to not only collect and recycle over 160,000 tonnes of food waste every year, but also to convert it to over 5MWh of renewable energy via our state of the art anaerobic digestion facilities – enough to power over 10,000 homes throughout the year.”

Wednesday 18th June 2014 saw the official opening of the ReFood latest anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Widnes.  The plant is the largest gas-to-grid AD plant and the second plant for the ReFood brand.
The opening ceremony was attended by a variety of local and industry stakeholders, alongside Norbert Rethmann, honorary chairman of Rethmann Group, the parent company of ReFood, who officially opened the plant by unveiling a plaque and tipping the first bin.
ReFood Widnes will recycle 90,000 tonnes of commercial and domestic food waste and will generate up to 17NWhs of biogas which will be transported directly to the national gas grid where it will provide enough power for 8,000 homes.
The move to gas-to-grid is a new development for ReFood and demonstrates the company’s commitment to identifying and embracing new technologies to ensure that food waste is maximised as a energy resource.  The Widnes plant is the first gas-to-grid AD plant in ReFood’s European portfolio of 11 plants, which together provide enough power for 46,000 homes.
ReFood Widnes offers integrated food waste collection and recycling services for businesses in a 50 mile radius including hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, local authorities and retailers.  The unique element to the ReFood offering is its sanitised bin swap services, which sees a full bin swapped for a clean one.  As a result, businesses don’t have to clean their own bins and the sanitised ReFood bin can be used in a kitchen environment, enabling food waste to be separated at source.
Andy Smith, CEO of ReFood, comments: “I’m delighted to add ReFood Widnes to our portfolio of food waste recycling technologies.  As our first gas-to-grid AD plant it will operate as a showcase plant for both the ReFood brand and also the AD industry as a whole in both the UK and Europe.  Food waste offers such important potential as a resource, that we must maximise this through the use of new innovative technologies.
“Since our first ReFood plant opened in Doncaster in 2011, we have seen a positive uptake of a service that is simple and easy to use.  AD lends itself perfectly to a localised model due to the transportation of both the food waste and the fertiliser by-product and with the North West an important hub for both food production and distribution, Widnes is the perfect location alongside our existing food chain by-product processing facilities.
The new plant has provided 35 jobs for the local area across sales, administration, transportation and operations.
ReFood continues to expand, with ReFood Dagenham, a further £20m investment, due to begin construction soon and be operational in late 2015.  Located in the London Sustainable Industries Park, this plant will recycle 160,000 tonnes of food waste and produce 22.7 MWh of electricity direct to grid.
 
 

Progress on ReFood Doncaster’s anaerobic digestion plant is moving forward with construction well underway on the two new digesters.  Building work start in April and will be completed later in the Autumn.
The £6m investment in the state-of-the-art facility will more than double capacity to recycle 160,000 tonnes of food waste generated in the South Yorkshire area.  Construction involves two 3,700 tonne digesters, two 1.1MWe engines, two storage tanks and a receiving tank.
The expanded plant will generate just under 5MWh of electricity through combined heat and power (CHP) which will be fed directly to the national grid.  The digestate produced by the process will meet PAS 110 standards and ReFood has a network of local farmers who use it on crops.
“We’re delighted that local demand for a integrated food waste collection and recycling solution in the area is so high and this has fuelled our investment in the Doncaster facility just three years after it opened. Businesses are steadily realising the financial benefits that are achievable by diverting food waste from landfill and we’re pleased that ReFood Doncaster has been able to deliver those benefits to a wide range of customers both large and small”, says Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood.
The extension will generate a further 30 jobs across drivers, sales, administration, operations and maintenance.
This investment forms part of ReFood’s commitment to anaerobic digestion which also sees over £50million being spent on new plants in Widnes (due to open in June 2014) and Dagenham (2015).

 
 
The plans will see PDM Group change its name to SARIA, taking on the name of its majority shareholder, while its petfood brands of PDM, Chettles and Granox and category 3 rendering brands will now operate as SARVAL. Category 1 rendering businesses, which include Granox Ltd, J L Thomas, Clutton and Frome Vale, will operate under the SecAnim name.
Meanwhile, PDM’s food waste recycling and anaerobic digestion sites in Doncaster, Widnes (2014) and Dagenham (2015) will continue to operate under the ReFood UK brand.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM Group said: “The move marks a real milestone for the business. We are investing over £90m in all of our UK operations to modernise our sites and ensure that we deliver the highest standards across the board. Our aim is to set the benchmark for quality and high standards across the industry.
The decision to rebrand is an essential part of the company’s growth strategy and will be taking the company from being the UK’s number 1 to being a part of Europe’s number 1, fast-tracking the natural evolution of the business.
“Whilst our identity will change we are still very proud of our history,” adds Philip Simpson. “PDM has a long standing heritage and a very well established reputation for quality, reliability and performance in our sector. As we move forward, we will retain the essence of what our reputation has been built upon and work hard to maintain and further develop the very strong customer and partner relationships that we have established in the UK.
“2014 will be a landmark year, with our ReFood Widnes site due to start operations and construction on our new state-of-the-art facility in Dagenham set to start in January. The £20m refurbishment of our key category 3 recycling facility at Hartshill is also due to complete later in the Spring and upgrades to our other have also enhanced our facilities and capabilities across the board and giving us a strong foundation on which to build.”
To find out more visit www.saria.co.uk

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has given planning consent to ReFood UK for its next major anaerobic digestion plant for food waste.  The £30m plant will be the company’s third site in the UK and is part of a major programme of investment in ReFood’s food waste recycling facilities, which also includes a new site in Widnes, Cheshire, due to open in 2014.
The new facility on the London Sustainable Industries Park (LSIP) will take 160,000 tonnes of food waste which would otherwise go to landfill and create low carbon biogas (enough to supply around 10,000 homes), as well as liquid fertiliser.  The facility will also create up to 60 new jobs in addition to some relocated jobs.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood commented: “We are delighted to get the go ahead for this landmark plant which will help to ensure that food waste arising in the London area can be transformed into renewable energy and valuable nutrients to go back onto the land.
“The decision comes in the same week that we launched the Vision 2020 report to achieve zero food waste to landfill by the end of the decade and having the right infrastructure in place to optimise the energy and nutritional value of food waste will have a major part to play in this ambition.
“There is clearly a desire within retail, the hospitality sector and householders to both prevent food waste and also deal with it more responsibly where it does arise.  Indeed, we have been delighted by the positive response that the Vision 2020 ambition has already received.”
ReFood UK opened its first anaerobic digestion plant in Doncaster in 2011 and this has proved so successful there are already plans to double its size.  A further £20m is being invested in the new gas-to-grid plant in Widnes, which will be able to take 90,000 tonnes of food waste.
LSIP at Dagenham Dock is creating the UK’s largest concentration of environmental industries and technologies bringing new life and opportunities to the borough.  Developed on 60 acres of land owned by Greater London Authority, LSIP is at the heart of London Mayor’s Green Enterprise District.
The vision is to deliver a closed loop system, with businesses delivering waste to energy projects, combined heat and power schemes, recycling and reprocessing facilities, and renewable energy technologies.  This system enables businesses to develop synergies with their neighbours, maximise resource efficiency and innovation and minimise waste.

 
A major report which sets out to stop billions of pounds worth of food being consigned to landfill is being launched in London today, 11^th November 2013. The report, entitled ‘Vision 2020: UK Roadmap to Zero Food Waste to Landfill’ is the culmination of more than two years’ work and sets the framework to achieve a food waste-free future by 2020.
Its ambition is to:

• Save the UK economy over £17bn a year by 2020 through the reduction of food wasted by households, businesses and the public sector.
• Prevent 27m tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) a year from entering the atmosphere.
• Return over 1.3m tonnes a year of valuable nutrients to the soil.
• Generate over 1 terrawatt-hour (Twh) electricity a year, enough to power over 600,000 homes.

The report has been authored by ReFood, the UK’s foremost food waste recycler, in collaboration with BioRegional, an entrepreneurial charity that promotes sustainable businesses through its One Planet Living philosophy.
In order to achieve zero food waste to landfill by 2020, the report’s principal recommendations are:

• A clear timetable for the phased introduction of a ban on food waste to landfill to come into full force by 2020, allowing industry the time to finance and develop an optimum collection and processing infrastructure.
• Compulsory separate collections of food waste from homes and businesses, with an outcome that optimises its value to provide energy, nutrients for agriculture and, preferably, heat.
• Greater collaboration at every stage of the supply chain and between key stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of best practice, improve waste prevention and maximise the value of food waste as a resource.
• The integration of food waste education into school, college and professional training programmes and increased support for WRAP’s ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ initiative.

The report highlights where and why food waste is happening at each stage of the UK supply chain; what actions are being taken to tackle food waste in each sector and what more can be done in the future to drive the positive environmental, economic and social outcomes, for the greater good.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood, explained:
“Our message is clear; food waste is a valuable resource that should never end up in landfill sites. Everyone from the food producer, through to the retailer, the restaurant and the householder can play their part in ensuring that we take full advantage of its considerable potential by ensuring we re-use, recycle and recover every nutrient and kilowatt of energy it has to offer.
“As the biggest contaminant in the waste stream, food waste consigns millions of tonnes and billions of pounds of valuable resources to landfill or incineration each year. Failure to take a cohesive approach to food waste could result in solutions that will consign valuable resources to incineration or landfill, potentially cause significant environmental damage and represent a lost opportunity to develop a more integrated infrastructure in the UK to reprocess and recycle all waste.
“We would like to see the government and industry take a more consistent and holistic approach to waste in the UK – one that maximises its potential as a resource.”
Sue Riddlestone, OBE, chief executive and co-founder of BioRegional added: “Achieving zero food waste to landfill within the next seven years is a big challenge and we will need the support and actions of individuals, businesses and the government if this vision is to be realised.
“However, the case for change is compelling. We will save billions of pounds. We will prevent millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. And crucially, we will ensure that food is treated as a precious resource.”
 

ReFood part of the PDM Group, the UK’s largest food waste recycler, has awarded the contract to provide the gas-to-grid system at its new Widnes-based anaerobic digestion (AD) facility to Chesterfield biogas (CBG).  Once completed, the £20m Widnes plant will be the largest food waste gas-to-grid AD project in the UK.
The new plant, due for completion in 2014, will have the capacity to handle 90,000 tonnes of commercial and domestic food waste and will generate up to 2,000m3 per hour of raw biogas.  The new Widnes ReFood plant is part of PDM’s plan to spend more than £90m on its UK operations before the end of 2014.
The diversification into a gas-to-grid system represents ReFood’s ongoing commitment to offering a wide portfolio of renewable energy solutions.  Further AD plants being developed by ReFood in the UK will use a combination of systems to provide sales of electricity, heat, gas and other forms of renewable energy applications.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, commented: “This is the first time that ReFood has invested in this technology in Europe.  The decision to move to supplying upgraded biogas direct to the grid rather than using it for the generation of CHP was the result of a long and detailed assessment of the various technical systems available.  We are always keen to ensure that we invest in the most sustainable and efficient solution.  We are pleased to be working with CBG, who have a proven track record implementing such systems and offer long-term support to ensure high levels of performance.
“Food waste is a valuable asset and, as a company, we are committed to delivering the most advanced solutions to maximise its value as both a source of energy and for its nutrient value in the form of organic digestates that  can be returned to the land.”
The ‘Totara’ biogas-to-biomethane upgrader, which is due to be installed at the ReFood plant in Widnes in April 2014, employs the Greenlane® water-scrubbing method which doesn’t require heat or chemicals to operate.  Instead the system uses water, much of which can then be recycled, thus presenting a truly sustainable method.
An advanced de-sulphurisation package, supplied by CBG, removes the harmful contaminates in the gas so that it can be injected into the national gas grid.  Once the gas has been drawn off, a nutrient-rich fertiliser is left which can then be used by farmers in the local area to grow new crops.
 

Applications are invited for 2 Operations Supervisors to safely operate ReFoods flagship Anaerobic Digestion energy facility in Doncaster and the new plant in Widnes (open 2014), at maximum efficiency and minimum environmental impact.
Each plant’s Operations Supervisor will be working as part of a small dedicated operational team working across the whole AD site.  Reporting to the Operations Manager the post will include the day to day site supervision of inputs of feed stocks, material handling and processing, scheduled maintenance, cleanliness, and daily site sampling, testing, record keeping and reporting.
The post will be a permanent full time position (days) and may include weekends as and when required.  The Operations Supervisor will also be placed on a call rota to deal with site alarms that occur out of hours.
Candidates should ideally have an operational/supervisory background in a factory or waste management environment and have a basis of understanding in either Biology or Biochemistry or experience involving biological processes.
The scope of work involves:

• Operational overview and control of the ReFood Anaerobic Digestion plant in accordance with the site IPPC permit
• Comply with Group and Site specific H&S policies and Codes of Practice, including the development and implementation of Risk Assessments, Safe Working Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures
• Communicate with, and support management, operators, engineering department, logistics and transport in areas of plant operations, maintenance and development
• Provide support to the Team in order to fulfil their duties and responsibilities
• Take a proactive approach to the resolution of process issues
• To take responsibility for the site in the absence of the site manager and to be included into the out of hours alarm response rota

This position carries Staff benefits and the Company offers a competitive rate of pay.
Please apply in writing with your CV to HR Department, Ings Road, Doncaster, DN5 9TL or email recruitment@pdm-group.co.uk
Closing date – 23 October 2013
 

PDM Group, the UK’s leading food waste recycler has appointed Graham Morris as its new commercial manager for the North West and Wales.  Graham, who joins the company with 20 years commercial experience in the service industry, will be based at PDM’s Widnes site.
Graham Morris will be responsible for the procurement of raw materials for the company’s red meat rendering and BFB plants, as well as overseeing the procurement of raw materials for the new ReFood plant currently under construction in Widnes.  The £20m ReFood plant in Widnes, which will generate enough energy to power approximately 8,000 homes, is expected to be completed by early 2014 and is part of a major investment programme in the UK, totalling more than £90 million.
Commenting on his appointment, Graham Morris said: “I am delighted to be working with the UK’s largest food waste recycler.  After the success of the ReFood plant in Doncaster I am excited by the potential of the new plant in Widnes.  I am proud to be working for a brand that has set a benchmark for sustainable solutions for food waste in the UK.”
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM Group, comments: “We are really excited to have Graham on board.  Graham will play a pivotal role in the creation of the new AD plant as well as the continued success of our existing operations at Widnes and we are sure that his experience and proven success within the industry will aid PDM in reaching its goals.

ReFood, the food waste recycling specialist, has been awarded a contract with Leeds based Italian restaurant, Bibis.  Thanks to the partnership, the restaurant, situated in the city centre, has already achieved its ambition to become a zero-waste to landfill restaurant and reduce its carbon footprint.
The restaurant has all of its food waster recycled at ReFood’s state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Doncaster, where it is turned into renewable energy and organic digestate, a nutrient rich fertiliser that can go back onto the land.
The food waste is collected in a number of kitchen caddies, which are then emptied into larger bins for collection by ReFood.
Food and beverage manager at Bibis, Adam Ketteringham, commented: “Becoming a zero waste to landfill restaurant is a real accolade for Bibis.  It is important for everyone to do their bit in helping the environment.  We are a large restaurant and inevitably produce food waste – recycling it with ReFood is our way of helping make Britain green”.
“At the restaurant we have always been proactive in our pursuit of sustainability and already recycle all of our glass an cardboard.  However, by working with ReFood, we have been able to reach our ultimate goal of ensuring none of our waste goes to landfill.  We hope to continue our environmental success through our partnership with ReFood”.
Zoe Bricklebank, Sales & Logistics Executive at ReFood, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Bibis to reduce its carbon footprint through the conversion of food waste into renewable energy.  We can apply our experience and expertise to ensure that dealing with food waste in the right way has a positive commercial impact as well as delivering on environmental promises”.
“Food waste is a valuable resource and we applaud the efforts of restaurants like Bibis in ensuring that it does not end up in landfill.  For restaurants like Bibis, being able to separate and understand where food waste is coming from can also help to change procurement, storage and menu planning to reduce waste and save money”.

Built in 1882 and acquired by Doncaster MBC (DMBC) in 1973, Austerfield was initially set up as an environmental education resource.  over the years it developed its capacity to support over 10,000 children a year, employing six people.  However, staff numbers have had to be reduced in recent times and it is now, sadly, threatened with closure.
The centre, close to Doncaster and used by many local primary schools, community groups and societies, is facing a challenge to secure interim funding to keep it going after July, until when the DMBC have agreed to support it.  This would enable it to continue in the short-term while formulating a long-term sustainable business plan for the centre.
Philip Simpson, commercial director of PDM Group commented: ” ReFood is part of the PDM Group which has been operating in Doncaster for over 80 years and the company has always prided itself on having a nationwide reach whilst maintaining very close ties to the local area.  This is why, when we heard about the plight of the Austerfield Study Centre, we were keen to provide vital funding to enable it to develop its plans to become a social enterprise, which will allow the centre to become a village community centre.
When it comes to environmental practices, it seems that the UK is often last when it comes to adopting  legislation, technologies or procedures.  If the UK is going to lead the world this approach and attitude needs to change and education is key to that.  Nature doesn’t generate waste and as a sustainable business that turns ‘waste’ into new products, ReFood understands the important lessons that nature has to offer our future generations.  The Austerfield Centre is a vital asset to the children and families of Doncaster in many ways and we are delighted to support their efforts in securing its long-term future.”
Organisations such as Austerfield Study Centre offer a vital service to local schools, their children and families, and by offering its support an organisation would not only be investing in a vital resource, but also the future education of local schoolchildren.
The centre is now looking for more local businesses to offer the vital funding that will enable it to develop its plans to become a social enterprise.  Businesses and individuals interested in supporting the centre should contact Sue Rose on 01302 531034 or info@austerfieldstudycentre.co.uk
Help save Austerfield, help save a generation.
 
 

ReFood achieves PAS110 certification for digestate produced via AD

ReFood, Europe’s leading food waste Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant operators, has achieved the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 110 certification for producing quality digestate from AD, making its Doncaster facility one of very few in the UK to be awarded the accreditation.
ReFood opened its state-of-the-art AD facility in Doncaster in 2011. It collects and recycles 45,000 tonnes of food from businesses across the Yorkshire region, converting it into 2.8MWs of electricity – enough to power 5,000 homes, as well as heat for local businesses and nutrient rich organic fertiliser, DynAgro.
The PAS110 certification will assure farmers this digestate is of a consistent quality that is beneficial to their crops. ReFood has also achieved the ADQP (Anaerobic Digestion Quality Protocol) which sets the quality criteria for outputs from AD, which means the digestate can be defined as a product rather than a waste.
PAS110, first published in February 2010, sets parameters on input materials and the management system for the AD process. For ReFood, the certification will ensure that DynAgro fertiliser produced by its plants is made using suitable materials and effectively processed by AD to deliver a high quality product that meets market needs and protects the environment.
The Doncaster plant has undergone a rigorous year-long validation program to demonstrate compliance with the standard. Feedback from local farmers using the digestate has been overwhelmingly positive; not only are the treated crops greener and healthier, the farmers have also achieved cost savings by reducing the use of inorganic fertilisers and been able to improve crop yields.
Commenting on the announcement, Philip Simpson, commercial director at ReFood said: “As a business that strives to achieve best practice in food waste recycling, we have always been a supporter of PAS110. We work closely with our raw material suppliers and customers in the farming community, who also see a great value to PAS accreditation. We have worked hard to attain PAS110, so that our customers can have complete confidence in the safety and quality of our processes.”
 

PDM initiates construction of ReFood AD plant in Widnes

PDM, the UK’s largest food waste recycler, has started the construction of its second industrial scale anaerobic digestion (AD) plant under its ReFood brand. The 4.2MW plant is being built on PDM’s existing rendering and renewable energy generation site on Desoto Road, Widnes, and once completed, will have the capacity to handle 90,000 tonnes of commercial and domestic food waste.
Following the success of the first ReFood plant in Doncaster, which opened in 2011, the new £20m plant will generate 4.2MWh of renewable electricity, enough energy for approximately 8,000 homes. It will also deliver 4,000kg/hr of steam and hot water.
A nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser produced by the AD process will be used by farmers in the local area to grow new crops. Once complete, the new plant is also expected to result in the creation of 36 new jobs across, sales, operations, engineering, admin and finance.
The Widnes Refood plant will have 50 per cent more capacity compared to Doncaster, with three combined heat and power (CHP) engines to convert the biogas produced during the AD process into renewable electricity.
PDM announced plans to invest £40 million in its ReFood operations last year and, in addition to the Widnes site, which is expected to be completed in late 2013, plans for a third plant in London are also underway.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, comments: “The Widnes AD plant adds another sustainable solution to our portfolio in the North West and showcases our long standing commitment to develop this site to create a unique range of recycling and renewable energy services at a single location. Our award-winning Doncaster plant has set a benchmark in AD based recycling, assisting businesses to divert waste from landfill sites. The Widnes plant is surrounded by an area that’s an important hub in terms of food manufacturing and retail distribution, so it’s the ideal place to offer such state-of-the-art treatments for the 10 million plus tonnes of food waste the UK generates.”

ReFood AD plant given green light in Widnes

Planning permission was granted yesterday (Monday 8th October) for a new industrial scale anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Widnes. PDM, the UK’s largest food waste recycler, has been granted permission to build a 4MW AD plant on its existing rendering and renewable energy generation site on Desoto Road.
The development is the latest phase in PDM’s plan to expand its ReFood AD brand across the UK and the company has pledged to spend £40m building two new plants. Construction is due to commence in Widnes next month, with completion expected in late 2013.
With the capacity to handle 90,000 tonnes of commercial and domestic food waste, the £20m Widnes plant will generate enough energy for approximately 8,000 homes, as well as heat which will be used by its rendering operation on site and by adjacent businesses. The organic fertiliser produced will be used by farmers in the local area to grow new crops.
The new AD plant will create 40 new jobs in sales, operations, engineering, admin and finance. The company is now beginning the process of recruiting the commercial and operations teams.
PDM opened its first ReFood plant in Doncaster in September 2011, which has set the benchmark in AD plant construction and operation. The new plant at Widnes will have 50 per cent more capacity, with three combined heat and power (CHP) engines to convert the biogas produced during the AD process into renewable electricity.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, comments: “We’re delighted to have received permission to build the new facility on our Widnes site. While the site already operates rendering and biomass to energy plants, the AD plant will offer another sustainable solution to our portfolio in the North West. This development is the latest in our long standing commitment to developing the Widnes site to create a unique range of recycling and renewable energy services at a single location. This area is an important hub in terms of food manufacture and retail distribution, so it’s the ideal place to offer such treatments for the 10 million plus tonnes of food waste the UK generates.
“Demand for food waste recycling solutions is growing amongst businesses at every stage of the food chain. Our vision for ReFood is to develop a network of plants, providing food waste collection and recycling services to a 50 mile radius of the plant. It is the only service of its kind in the UK, offering customers reliable and cost effective collections, sanitised bins and safe, secure and sustainable processing.”

ReFood Doncaster’s state of the art food waste collection and recycling service was recognised last week for the part it plays in helping businesses across South Yorkshire be more sustainable after the team took home the Environment Award at the annual Sheffield Star Business Awards.
On choosing ReFood as winner of this highly fought over category, the judges said “This innovative system for turning food waste into energy and fertiliser will make an important contribution towards reducing unnecessary and expensive use of landfill sites and also sets new standards in terms of demonstrating how waste recyclers can be the best of neighbours.”
ReFood UK sets a benchmark for food waste handling, enabling Yorkshire businesses to divert such waste from landfill and utilise its full value as a renewable energy source. The anaerobic digestion plant converts food waste into useful by-products including energy, heat and fertiliser.
Philip Simpson, ReFood commercial director, commented: “We’re delighted to have ReFood recognised at the Sheffield Star Business Awards. It’s particularly great to be rewarded in this local context as ReFood is dedicated to serving businesses within a 50 mile radius of the plant in Doncaster and with sustainability and recycling high on many businesses agendas it’s an increasingly competitive category. The work that has been done at ReFood truly is leading edge and is expected to act as a model for best-in-class food recycling nationwide.”
ReFood Doncaster is now serving a large range of local businesses, such as schools, shops and attractions.

ReFood UK holds open day 19 & 20th July 2012

ReFood UK Ltd is opening up its Anaerobic Digestion plant to the public for an Open Day on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th July 2012.
With almost 20 million tonnes of food waste generated each year across the UK, it is crucial that we find more sustainable solutions to landfill. The UK is committed to increasing its level of renewable energy production in order to limit climate change.
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is one solution that is going to help us deliver on two sustainability goals – reducing waste going to landfill and generating renewable energy.
ReFood is the European market leader in the field of disposal of organic waste from kitchens, canteens and retailers. From every stage in the food chain, ReFood recycles food waste via AD into green electricity, heat and nutrient-rich fertiliser.
Each ReFood AD plant can recycle 45,000 tonnes of food and drink waste each year. With innovative systems to de-package retail food wastes, ReFood is able to handle all types of waste food products and ensure that all materials are separated for recycling.
If you have a particular interest in environmental issues, waste management or perhaps have a business that produces food waste we would love to see you.
This is your opportunity to see a state of the art, award winning AD plant in operation and network with representatives from local and national companies.
The event is free to attend and refreshments will be provided throughout the day.
To register for this event please send your name, contact details and preferred date to

PDM to invest £40m in ReFood AD in 2012

PDM, the UK’s largest food waste recycler, has announced plans to invest a further £40 million in developing its network of ReFood anaerobic digestion (AD) plants this year. This investment will result in two new plants located in Widnes and East London.
The announcement follows the completion of the company’s first AD plant at its headquarters in Doncaster. The two new plants will each double the recycling capacity of Doncaster, each handling around 90,000 tonnes of food waste each year and producing 4MWs of renewable energy.
Subject to planning, the facility in Widnes will be built on PDM’s existing site, creating a food waste recycling hub that incorporates rendering, biomass to energy and AD. Taking food waste generated by retailers, restaurants, hotels and householders, the plant will provide renewable energy to the national grid and create a nutrient rich fertiliser for use in growing new crops.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, comments: “Food waste is recognised as an issue the UK needs to overcome. Not only is it a complete waste of a resource by letting it rot in landfill, capacity at these sites is falling fast and AD offers the ideal solution. Our AD plant in Doncaster is performing well, and we’re keen to keep the momentum going in developing our ReFood network to provide regional solutions for food waste across the UK.”
PDM will incorporate the next generation of recycling and recovery technology being developed in Europe to ensure that its plants are industry-leading in terms of efficiency to convert the highest yields of energy and nutrient rich fertiliser.
Each new plant will also generate approximately 40 new jobs in sales, logistics and operations. PDM aims to commence construction on both sites by Autumn 2012, with both plants fully operational in 2013.

PDM strengthens relationship with SARIA Bio-Industries

Leading food waste recycler, PDM Group, is strengthening its relationship with SARIA Bio-Industries, one of Europe’s leading producers of high quality proteins and fats from animal by-products. Both businesses have committed to expanding the network of food chain by-products recycling solutions, with a particular focus on the ReFood brand, across the UK.
The two companies have signed a deal which sees SARIA acquire a majority stake in the Doncaster-based PDM Group. PDM’s management team is very positive that this investment will enable the company to expand its nationwide portfolio of anaerobic digestion (AD), biomass-to-energy and rendering facilities and look at new business development opportunities.
PDM and SARIA have worked in partnership for a number of years, delivering the UK’s first ReFood AD plant, which officially opened in Doncaster on September 9th 2011. With investment from the German-based SARIA group, PDM will be able to fast-track its plans to create a national network of ReFood plants providing local, secure and sustainable solutions for food waste.
Andrew Smith, chief executive of PDM, comments: “We’re delighted to have strengthened our relationship with SARIA. Our two businesses complement each other, and the shared expertise means we have the potential to develop an industry-leading offer to food chain waste management. As a result, PDM will continue to set the benchmark in how to maximise food chain by-products as a resource and help the UK eradicate food waste from landfill by leading the sector in providing the infrastructure, capacity and demand for recycling across the food chain.”
Franz-Bernhard Thier, member of the board of SARIA and director of PDM adds: “As a result of this cooperation we are able to share knowledge and technology to produce new products from animal by-products and commercial food waste in an effective and efficient manner.”

Ed Miliband opens UK’s first ReFood AD plant

The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP today (9th September) opened the UK’s first ReFood anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at the PDM Group headquarters in Doncaster. The ReFood plant is a significant addition to PDM’s portfolio of recycling solutions for foodchain by-products.
PDM developed the £12 million plant in partnership with SARIA Bio-industries, which operates a network of ReFood plants across Europe.
With SARIA’s expertise, PDM has brought to the UK a more efficient and industrial-scale process, which has been built using a combination of UK and European construction expertise.
Today’s ceremony was attended by a number of key stakeholders from the local area and the plant was formally opened by the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, who tipped the first bin of food waste into the depackaging unit.
Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband said: “It’s fantastic that I’m able to open a state-of-the-art renewable-energy venture right here in Doncaster. The ReFood plant demonstrates the huge potential that exists for turning food and other household waste into renewable energy, which can then be used to heat and power thousands of homes. Plants like this are important in many ways – they provide employment and play a vital role in delivering energy savings for homes and businesses.”
The AD plant will handle 45,000 tonnes of food waste produced by local retailers, restaurants, food manufacturers and businesses. It will generate 2.8 MW/h of electricity and heat – enough to power around 5,000 homes, while the 40,000 tonnes of nutrient-rich fertiliser produced by the plant will be used by farmers across South Yorkshire.
The new facility has created 35 jobs at the company’s Doncaster headquarters. Furthermore, plans are underway to build a network of ReFood plants across the country, which will provide local recycling solutions for local food waste.
Paul Morris, operations director at PDM commented: “We’re delighted to have opened our first ReFood plant. This service complements PDM’s existing offering to the food chain and means that we can deliver a variety of localised, secure and sustainable solutions for food waste.
“We believe that for the UK to eradicate food waste from landfill, we require a nationwide network of AD plants, which handle the food waste produced in a small radius. Therefore, we are now looking at expanding the ReFood network across the UK to help deliver this crucial infrastructure.”

ReFood UK plant approaches completion

Construction of the UK’s first ReFood anaerobic digestion plant has reached its final stages ahead of its official opening on September 9th.
The digestate tanks, engines, heat recovery boiler and grid connection to provide renewable energy to the National Grid are all now in place and the plant is currently being commissioned.
With all the key components now in place, ReFood is focusing on developing the optimum conditions to allow the anaerobic digestion process to take place. This involves feeding the tanks with digestate from another AD plant and adding organic material to facilitate the growth of bacteria that will break down the food waste and produce fertiliser, heat and biogas.
Paul Morris, ReFood operations director, comments: “It’s exciting to see the plant in its very final stages. Next begins the complex process of ensuring that we have the right mixture and conditions to ensure that the plant will work to maximum efficiency.”
Developing the correct level and conditions of bacteria will take approximately one month and the plant will take food waste from local businesses, shops and restaurants from early October.
Once fully operational, the £12million plant will recycle 45,000 tonnes of food waste and produce 2.8 MWh of renewable electricity and heat – enough to power 5,000 homes.

PDM appoints ReFood plant manager

As the UK’s first ReFood anaerobic digestion (AD) plant reaches its final stages of construction, PDM has appointed Mark Baker to undertake management of the facility.
Baker brings ten years of organic waste management expertise to ReFood UK. After three years as a principal consultant at Walker Resource Management delivering consultancy and solutions to organic waste processors, Baker wanted to move back into operational management and PDM provided the perfect opportunity to combine his existing skills with a new challenge.
Baker’s role at PDM is to support the final stages of the ReFood development, including the commissioning of the anaerobic digestion plant, as well as helping to recruit and manage the administration, sales and operational teams. In the longer term, he will be responsible for keeping the plant operational and running to full capacity.
On his role as ReFood operations manager, Baker commented: “I’m delighted to be working with Refood, a brand that will set the benchmark in sustainable solutions for food waste in the UK. With a thorough knowledge of organic waste management, it’s a great opportunity for me to be able to use this expertise and apply it to AD”.
“ReFood is an exciting venture, as it is bringing an industrial approach to the collection and processing of the UK’s food waste and AD infrastructure. With plans in place to roll out a network of similar plants across the country, it’s great to be involved at the very outset.”
PDM’s ReFood plant is based in Doncaster. It will have capacity to recycle 45,000 tonnes of food waste each year, producing 2.8MW of electricity – enough power for 5,000 homes. The company has also secured end customers for the 40,000 tonnes of nutrient-rich organic fertiliser produced by the AD process.

ReFood UK to showcase AD plant developments at UK AD & Biogas 2011

Ahead of the landmark opening of its first Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant this summer, ReFood UK – part of the UK’s largest food waste recycler, PDM Group – will be exhibiting at UK AD & Biogas 2011 on 6th and 7th July at the Birmingham NEC.
ReFood is dedicated to landfill diversion by collecting leftover and unsold food products and recycling them using the latest AD technology. It not only offers its customers a service which is in line with the latest legislation and environmental goals, but also provides a number of other benefits that help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.
Once its first AD plant – based at its headquarters in Doncaster– is fully operational, the new facility will be able to handle around 45,000 tonnes of food waste per year. The gas generated by the AD process will be used to create 2.8MWh of renewable electricity as well as heat for the process and the PDM Doncaster site.
ReFood exports renewable power to the National Grid, helping to support the UK’s objective of improving its use of renewable energy. The heat generated is used by PDM’s own facilities or by neighbouring businesses.
Representatives from ReFood UK will be on stand 93, ‘Envirolink Northwest Pavillion’, at the UK AD & Biogas 2011 event to talk about the innovative work the company is doing in this sector, including an update on its plans for a network of ReFood plants.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, comments: “We’re delighted to be part of such a key event in the industry calendar. We are very excited about the progress being made in the AD and Biogas sector. With the construction of our plant well under way and set to open this summer, UK AD & Biogas 2011 is the perfect place to showcase this new offering to the AD market.”
Organised by the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ABDA), UK AD & Biogas 2011 is the UK’s only trade event to focus exclusively on Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas. Reflecting huge growth in the sector, this year’s event is 90 per cent bigger than the inaugural event in 2010, showcasing more than 130 exhibitors from across the sector.

PDM Group’s AD plant takes shape

The UK’s first ReFood anaerobic digestion (AD) plant is taking shape at PDM’s headquarters in Doncaster. The £12m plant is using a mix of expertise from UK and European construction and AD specialists in the build process.
The Doncaster plant will be able to recycle around 45,000 tonnes of food waste each year and produce 2.8MWs of renewable electricity and heat helping to provide a sustainable solution for some of the millions of tonnes of food waste generated across the UK food chain each year. ReFood offers all businesses across the food chain, from large industrial food processors to small fish and chips shops, a unique, high quality food waste collection and recycling service. ReFood’s ‘bin swap’ offering means that a full bin will be exchanged for a cleaned and sanitised one at each collection.
Paul Morris, operations director at PDM comments: “The ReFood plant is really starting to take shape and is on schedule to be completed and operational this summer. We’re now entering some of the more exciting phases, which will see the structure of the plant finalised, ready for the internal equipment to be added. We already have a number of local businesses on board to use the plant, with many national customers also keen to see their food waste converted into energy this way.”
PDM intends ReFood to be a nationwide food waste collection and AD recycling operation and is already looking at where and when to build the next plants. The new plant will create around 35 new jobs in the Doncaster area, covering operations, logistics and administration.
To find out more about ReFood, visit www.refood.co.uk
Already, the steel frame for the reception and state of the art depackaging facility is erected, with the concrete digestor and the foundations for the biogas storage facility now in place. The development will speed up visibly over coming weeks as more and more of the kit and cladding is added – including the iconic ReFood dome and stainless steel pasteurisation units.

PDM announces local focus for AD plant construction

PDM, the UK’s largest food waste recycler, has confirmed the companies building its industry-leading ReFood anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Doncaster. To construct the £12m plant, PDM has appointed a number of local companies, as well as bringing expertise from Europe.
Keen to utilise local businesses, PDM invited 10 regional companies to tender for the project. Britcon (Scunthorpe) Ltd, a civil engineering company, has been appointed as principal contractor to oversee the project and construct a new dedicated office and amenities block for the AD plant, which is highly energy efficient, in line with the rest of the project.
Meanwhile, architects, John Hill Associates from Doncaster, will manage all design and construction throughout the eight month build which recently commenced. Local contractors will also be employed throughout the project to undertake installation work such as electrics and specialist piping systems.
PDM has also brought across European expertise in AD plant construction through Bigadan, one of Europe’s leading providers in the design, manufacture and operation of AD plants and Form-tec, a German company specialising in the construction of concrete biogas digesters.
Clarke Energy, the UK’s leading provider of power generation will provide engines and generators suitable for use with biogas.
PDM’s ReFood plant will also include an innovative depackaging plant which will include equipment supplied by TMA, who provided similar equipment for plants built for PDM’s German partner, SARIA.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, comments: “We’re delighted to have identified all the key partners in the construction of our first ReFood plant in Doncaster. As a company, we are focused on supporting our local community and a key part of our selection process was inviting local contractors to tender and we’re very pleased to have two local companies delivering the build.
“However, the ReFood technology is very new to the UK, so it was also important to bring in expertise from Europe to provide skills and knowledge in building a large-scale biogas plant. We look forward to seeing the plant take shape over the coming months.”
PDM’s ReFood plant in Doncaster will be operational from Summer 2011 and the company will shortly be recruiting management and operational personnel for the new facility. To find out more about ReFood’s food waste recycling and collection service visit

Construction starts on new ReFood AD plant in Doncaster

PDM Group has today (Tuesday 7th September) celebrated the start of construction of its industry-leading anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at its site in Doncaster. As the UK’s leading food waste recycler, PDM is adding another method of recycling using food waste as a resource to generate renewable energy and reduce the region’s waste to landfill.
PDM’s AD service will operate under the ReFood brand and is being developed in partnership with SARIA Bio-industries. The new plant will be able to handle 45,000 tonnes of food waste each year and will include the latest de-packing systems to handle all types of food waste from across the food chain – food manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, hotels and even households.
The AD process works by harnessing the natural degrading process of biodegradable matter in a controlled environment. PDM’s new AD plant will capture the methane produced to generate two mega watts per hour of renewable electricity, as well as heat for PDM’s site. The plant will also produce a high quality nutrient-rich fertiliser which will be supplied to local farms – importantly helping to close the recycling loop as the nutrients from food are used to grow new crops.
Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM comments: “We’re delighted to see the start of construction of the ReFood plant. This venture helps to add another sustainable recycling solution to our existing portfolio. As a result, we’re able to divert significant tonnages of food waste from landfill, where the methane that we can capture in the AD process could otherwise end up in the atmosphere, so it’s a beneficial process on so many levels.”
The ReFood plant will take around 9 months to build and will include a food waste reception area, depackaging plant, digestor and combined heat and power plant. The facility is due to open in summer 2011.
Once operational, ReFood will bring 35 jobs to the local area and recycle food waste from a number of PDM’s leading customers including Sainsbury’s and commercial caterer Baxter Storey.

Launch of ReFood brings new energy to food recycling sector

PDM Group, the UK’s leading food waste recycler, and SARIA Bio-Industries, one of Europe’s leading food-chain recycling businesses are collaborating on the launch of a new business which will revolutionise the UK’s anaerobic digestion (AD) sector. Known as ReFood, the collaboration will combine SARIA’s market-leading technology expertise in operating AD facilities and PDM’s UK food waste recycling capabilities – creating UK’s most advanced and comprehensive food recycling network.
The launch of ReFood brings a nationwide AD operation to the UK, based on the successful collection and recycling model already operated by SARIA across Germany. Currently, there are four ReFood plants operating in Germany – fed by a network of 14 logistics centres which collect waste from 60,000 points across the country.
Once fully operational, the ReFood UK network will work in a similar manner to that of its German counterpart, with collection points located across the country, supported by a network of AD plants. Planning permission has already been granted for the first ReFood UK AD plant, based at PDM’s head office in Doncaster. Once in place, the new facility will be able to handle around 45,000 tonnes of food waste per year, creating two megawatts of renewable electricity and heat per hour as a result of the AD recycling process.
Philip Simpson, commercial services director at PDM, believes that ReFood will take anaerobic digestion technology in the UK to a new level. He comments: “As a nation, we are lagging behind our European counterparts when it comes to both food waste recycling and AD technology needed to handle it.”
“PDM’s collaboration with SARIA will bring industrial scale recycling capabilities to the UK, dramatically increasing both scale and scope while also meaning that, as a nation, we will have no excuses not to embrace the benefits of food waste recycling. The ReFood technology is very advanced compared to what’s already operating in the UK,” he continued. “Whereas the existing systems already operational in the UK have either been designed to handle sewage waste or agricultural wastes, ReFood’s plants have been purposely designed and built to handle food wastes. As a result, the ReFood system is able to focus on recycling greater quantities of this type of material,” adds Simpson.
Franz Bernhard Thier, member of the board of SARIA Bio-Industries, adds: “ReFood has been operating on an industrial scale successfully in Germany for a number of years. We’re delighted to be teaming up with PDM to bring both our areas of expertise together to create an offering that is really going to support food waste recycling and renewable energy generation in the UK.”
ReFood UK adds to PDM’s comprehensive portfolio of food recycling solutions, which already includes rendering, biomass-to-energy, pet food ingredients and now anaerobic digestion.