Problems being experienced across the anaerobic digestion sector may require wider adoption of biodegradable packaging within the food industry.
Anaerobic digestion (AD) plants are seeing plastic bags arriving for processing alongside organic waste, which has the potential to cause significant problems.
Speaking at the Pro2Pac show, Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) chairman Lord Rupert Redesdale said that while plastic bags are compostable, they will not break down properly in the AD process.
According to Packaging News, he added: "What you end up with is the plastic bag stuck around your pump mechanisms, which is incredibly expensive to deal with and quite problematic."
Biogas produced through AD has the potential to provide over 40 Terrawatt hours of energy in the UK, which would be enough to heat a city larger than Birmingham.
This is equivalent to 20 per cent of the UK's domestic gas demand.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the anaerobic digestion industry includes; Elevators – bucket elevators – valves
