Packington anaerobic digestion facility

Shropshire-based recycling firm SITA UK who run the waste disposal service for Telford & Wrekin and until recently Shropshire have been successful in seeking planning permission for a huge new anaerobic digestion facility in Packington, near Birmingham.  The plant will treat 50,000 tonnes of mixed food and green garden waste from households and businesses around the midlands.

The plans also include the development of polytunnels to make use of the surplus heat from the 1.6MW(e) plant. Furthermore:

• The anaerobic digestion facility will rot down separated organic waste to make compost and renewable energy.
• The facility will be self-sufficient in terms of energy needs, with both electricity and heat being reused in the process.  Surplus renewable electricity shall be supplied to the National Grid.
• Heat will be reused within the digestion process and fed into the polytunnels to help grow food and flowers.
• The compost and liquid digestate will also be used on site for growing.

An area of the polytunnels would be dedicated for use by local schools and community organisations for educating the public and the environmental benefits of composting and horticultural.