PDM to invest 40m in AD in 2012

The announcement follows the completion of the companys first anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at its headquarters in Doncaster, which was opened by Labour leader Ed Miliband in September 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story). 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 permission, the facility in Widnes will be built on PDMs 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.

PDM said it could not reveal precise details about its plans for East London, but said it would take the same feedstock as the Widnes plant commercial food waste.

Momentum

Philip Simpson, commercial director at PDM, said: 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 were keen to keep the momentum going in developing our ReFood network to provide regional solutions for food waste across the UK.

PDM said it would incorporate the next generation of recycling and recovery technology being developed in Europe to ensure that its plants were 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.

In September 2011, German food waste reprocessing company SARIA Bio-Industries acquired a majority stake in PDM Group, which has enabled the company to fast-track it plans for a UK network of anaerobic digestion facilities under the ReFood brand (see letsrecycle.com story). SARIA already operates a network of ReFood AD facilities in mainland Europe.