Ten million pounds announced for AD and IVC

We are delighted that this additional funding has been ear-marked to support the rapid development of food waste reprocessing facilities across the UK

 
Liz Goodwin, WRAP

Chancellor Alistair Darling announced in his Budget 2009 that money will be set aside to help businesses develop capacity in 2009/10 to divert thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill.

The money builds on another £10 million fund announced to develop commercial-scale demonstration AD plants in 2008 (see letsrecycle.com story) and is part of continued government investment and support for AD, through bodies such as the Waste & Resources Action Programme. While many plants are now in the pipeline, there are still not many up and running.

The support is part of a wider waste infrastructure plan to ensure local authorities have the capacity to divert biodegradable waste from landfill.

Already, the government is supporting the development of infrastructure through its Private Finance Initiative (PFI) programme and is supporting those projects struggling in the current financial climate through the Treasury Infrastructure Finance Unit, which has already helped the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority reach financial close on its long-term contract with a £120 million loan (see letsrecycle.com story).

Commenting on the latest funding, the Treasury explained: “Budget 2009 announces £10 million of new grants for businesses in 2009-10 to deliver anaerobic digestion and in-vessel composting infrastructure. This will provide capacity to remove 316,000 tonnes of waste each year form landfill, reducing local government and business waste disposal costs.”

The funding is to be administered by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

Liz Goodwin, chief executive at WRAP, said: “We are delighted that this additional funding has been ear-marked to support the rapid development of food waste reprocessing facilities across the UK. It will help to stimulate a greener economy by creating skilled jobs in construction, collection and reprocessing – and bring significant environmental benefits.”

The funding for AD and IVC facilities follows a raft of other announcements affecting the waste sector in the Budget 2009, including the possibility of further bans on the landfilling of biodegradable waste (see letsrecycle.com story).