The Environment Agency has launched a Call for Evidence to gather views about the existing permitting framework for the biowaste sector, saying "it is widely recognised that the environmental performance of the biowaste treatment sector needs to improve."
The Call for Evidence comes ahead of a detailed review the Agencyis planning to conduct later this year of existing biowaste permits.
Announcing the consultation, the Agency said it wants to ensure that any amendments it makes to the permitting of biowaste facilities benefit society, reduce environmental risk and are affordable.
The responses will be used to inform revisions to permit conditions in autumn 2018, when there will also be an opportunity for a further full consultation on any proposed changes.
The Call for Evidence acknowledges the aims of the Government’s 25 year plan and Clean Growth strategy, Clean Air Strategy and how the biowaste treatment sector can contribute to these aims. These include:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner air by minimising the impacts of anaerobic digestion in relation to air quality with improved ammonia and phosphate extraction reducing methane emissions
- Ensuring outputs from treatment enable thriving plants and wildlife and is fit for use, managing land sustainably by replenishing depleted soils and protecting the environment from harmful chemicals
- Enabling the reduction of waste
- Maximising the value of food waste
According to the EA, the biowaste treatment sector plays an important role in achieving these aims by:
- supporting the health of the UK’s soils by converting a wide range of organic wastes into valuable biofertilisers, soil conditioners and horticultural growing media.
- enabling biodegradable wastes to be diverted from landfills, preventing or reducing as far as possible the negative effects of landfilling waste.
- contributing to the UK’s mix of renewable energy sources - biogas from the anaerobic digestion process is injected into the gas supply network or used to generate electricity
The Environment Agency commented:
“However, it is widely recognised that the environmental performance of the biowaste treatment sector needs to improve. Despite some excellent examples of good practice the sector has a long history of pollution events and amenity problems. Although there has been some improvement in the performance of the sector in recent years, it lags behind that of the wider waste industry.”
The Agency acknowledged that parts of the biowaste industry are already taking positive steps to improve performance and welcomed the work of the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association, the Organics Recycling Group and others in promoting best practice and improving the reputation of the biowaste treatment sector.
However, it believes there is scope to go further, saying that recent audits of biowaste treatment facilities had revealed “a significant shortfall in expected operating standards.”
The call for evidence is looking for responses from a wide range of stakeholders on a number of measures that might be adopted to reduce environmental risk posed by biowaste facilities.
The Agency said it wants to gather views from anyone with a professional interest in the sector including waste producers, waste operators, local authorities, farmers, land managers, environmental consultants and trade associations.
The responses gathered through the Call for Evidence will then be used to develop a package of proposals, including amendments to biowaste environmental permits, for consultation in autumn 2018.
Deadline to submit responses to the Call for Evidence is 20th September 2018 – click here to access the consultation online.