UK End-of-Waste Quality Protocol for Digestate from Biogas Plants Updated

Photo Credit: werktuigendagen - Flickr The end-of-waste Quality Protocol (QP) for Anaerobic Digestate in the UK has been revised by the Environment Agency to provide greater clarity and additional clarification of acceptable input materials and their associated codes. The agency said that it was supported in its work to update the QP by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), as well as representatives from the industry. The new document updates the original QP, published in 2010, and is applicable in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a transition period of two months for existing QP producers and users until 10 April 2014. Important changes include: The requirement for land managers using digestate to maintain records for the specific purposes of the Quality Protocol has been removed Appendix B (acceptable inputs) has been updated to provide clarification of acceptable inputs and associated codes, including additional codes to describe waste that is subject to certain forms of pre-treatment at facilities between the site of waste production and the AD facility Tanning liquor and sludges from leather production have been removed from Appendix B A good practice section has been included covering storage, handling and use of anaerobic digestate. The Quality protocol will be hosted on the Biofertiliser Certification Scheme website which is operated by REAL, a subsidiary company for the Renewable Energy Association (REA), and can be accessed HERE “Along with the forthcoming update to the PAS110, these updates will provide clarity on the regulations for digestate producers and further build confidence in the market for biofertiliser,” commented REAL certification manager, Ciaran Burns. “This update to the ADQP makes several improvements, reducing the administration burden for producers and rationalising the list of appropriate feedstocks. This will increase the value of digestate products and boost the overall economics of anaerobic digestion as a source of renewable biogas,” he continued. Head of biogas at the Renewable Energy Association, David Collins added: “One of the early successes for REA Biogas was to lobby the Environment Agency for the early introduction of the ADQP back in 2008. This made the UK the first – and to date only – country in Europe to achieve ‘end-of-waste’ for digestate. “It is great to get the updated ADQP hot on the heels of the new Biomethane QP. The good news comes at a challenging time for the industry, as we work with DECC and partners to resolve issues with the Feed-in Tariff. Building market confidence in AD outputs, including digestate, can have a real positive impact on the economics of biogas, so this regulatory boost is timely indeed.” Read More UK Quality Protocol for Biogas from Anaerobic Digestion and Landfill The UK government’s Environment Agency has developed a Quality Protocol (QP) for Biomethane which sets out end of waste criteria for the production and use of biomethane arising from the degradation of organic wastes in a landfill site or anaerobic digestion (AD) plants. VIDEO Dong uses Enzyes to Process Mixed MSW for Biogas & Recycling A new technology that uses enzymes to treat mixed MSW and recover the organic fraction for biogas production, has been unveiled by Dong Energy. VIDEO: WRAP Project to cut Clothing Waste to Landfill & Increase Recycling Backed by Retailers Major UK retailers including Tesco and Marks & Spencer are among firms pledging a 15% reduction in carbon, water and in waste to landfill, and a 3.5% reduction in waste arising 2020.