FOREIGN Secretary Philip Hammond recently visited Agrivert’s West London Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Facility at Trumps Farm in Surrey.
The facility, a joint venture between Agrivert and Grundon Waste Management, is in Hammond’s constituency of Runnymede and Weybridge. It was officially opened in June 2014 and since then has been operating at full capacity. It treats 50,000 tonnes of organic waste per annum, which includes municipal and commercial food waste as well as a range of liquid wastes.
The site recently gained PAS 110 certification for its digestate fertiliser, meaning that all three of Agrivert’s AD plants are now certified. This is noteworthy because only 18 of the 106 food waste plants in the UK have managed to achieve and maintain PAS110 status.
The Foreign Secretary was met by Agrivert’s Commercial Director, Harry Waters and Grundon managing director Clayton Sullivan-Webb, who took him on a tour of the facility. The plant recycles waste predominately from Surrey – including all of Runnymede’s food waste – and South London.
Hammond was keen to understand the economics of the AD plant, said Agrivert, and how the subsidy regime incentivises the construction of plants like these. He remarked: “These facilities are required to recycle our waste and produce renewable energy. Anaerobic Digestion clearly has a part to play in meeting the UK’s renewable energy obligations whilst providing a cost effective recycling solution for organic wastes. This facility on the Trumps Farm site has been accepted by the local community as far less disruptive than the previously proposed incinerator.”
Mr Waters said: “We were delighted that Philip Hammond made time in his diary to visit the plant. It is important that politicians understand what our sector is contributing to the economy and the Foreign Secretary was remarkably well briefed and certainly asked the right questions.”
