WRAP survey of composting and anaerobic digestion sector
The most recent data (from 2009) on the organics recycling sector have been published by WRAP.
Some key figures from the report are highlighted below:
Compost
- 2.9 million tonnes of compost were produced in the UK in 2009;
- 84% of compost manufactured was described as "soil conditioner";
- Agriculture is the principal market for compost (using 59% of material produced);
- 14.1% of compost was used in amateur horticulture, while 2.6% was used in professional horticulture;
- 43% of compost used in agriculture was applied to cereal and other combinable crops, 15% to other arable crops;
- 61% of compost was certified or undergoing certification to PAS100 (+Quality Protocol) as "product quality";
- The majority of composting sites (62%) operate a open-air windrow system, but the data shows a trend towards in-vessel systems with an 18.6% reduction in wastes treated in an open-air system and a concurrent 20.8% increase in wastes treated in-vessel;
- 37% of compost used in agriculture contains food waste;
- 23% of compost used in amateur horticulture contains food waste;
- 6.6% of compost used in professional horticulture contains food waste;
- 57.7% of compost was sold (either directly or to a 3rd party) while 18.3% was supplied free of charge.
Digestate
- Agriculture is the sole market for digestate;
- An estimated 161,000t of digestate was applied to agricultural land in 2009;
- 52% of this was applied to grassland, 43% to cereals and other combinable crops;
- Some 37% of digestate was applied directly to operator-owned land.
The report estimates 5% growth in the organic waste treatment sector between the 2008/09 and 2009 survey data. Municipal feedstocks are the most prevalent, but show that increasingly non-municipal feedstocks will be sent to AD plant for treatment.
The full survey can be viewed by clicking under "Related documents" or by visiting the AfOR website.
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