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.