ReFood to expand capacity of Widnes AD plant

The expansion is being brought about through the installation of a new £1.2 million digester tank on the site to be erected by Lincolnshire-based construction firm Britcon

The new 18-metre-high and 16-metre-diameter digester tank will increase the plant’s food waste recycling capability by 25%.

ReFood opened the site in 2014 (see letsrecycle.com story). The Widnes plant currently has the capacity to processes 120,000 tonnes of food waste per year processing commercial and domestic food waste collected by ReFood from local authorities and businesses within a 50 mile radius of the site.

Expansion

Paul Morris, operations director at ReFood, said: “We are pleased to rely on the team at Britcon again for our Widnes expansion as we seek to increase our production of sustainable green energy.

“The team has proved to be extremely experienced and proficient in this complex area of construction whilst conforming to our sustainability agenda.  Over recent years we have developed a fantastic relationship that we trust.”

John Whitmore, director at Britcon, said: “Through our work on all of its UK sites we have developed a strong relationship with ReFood, which values our expertise in this very specialist build sector. We are delighted to secure a further contract to expand its Widnes site as we move to towards completion of its biggest project to date in Dagenham.”

Dagenham

Britcon has also worked on the construction of the Widnes plant in 2014 as well as a £20 million plant AD plant in Doncaster in 2011 as well as having been appointed as principal contractor for ReFood’s £13.5 million plant in Dagenham which is in development.

Construction work on the £32 million Dagenham plant, which will have a capacity of up to 160,000 tonnes per year began in March 2016, and is expected to be completed later this year (see letsrecycle.com story).