By-products of anaerobic digestion 'no longer waste' in Scotland.
Environmental Data Interactive Exchange (www.edie.net), March 4, 2010.

"The byproducts of treating waste using anaerobic digestion will no longer
be considered waste, Scotland's environmental watchdog has announced.

While on the surface it may seem like a simple matter of semantics, legal
definitions such as these can have a profound impact on the industry.

When used to treat waste from food and other organic material, anaerobic
digestion produces biogas that can be burned as a fuel and a solid
'digestate' that can be used as compost.

Scotland's new regulatory position means that if processors go through a
certification process (PAS110), these by-products will not be governed by
formal waste controls.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) argues that while there
will be up front costs to operators who seek certification, this will be
offset by savings to their customers as they will no longer need to register
for waste exemption if they wish to dispose of digestate on land.

SEPA's decision only applies in Scotland, but a similar position has been
adopted in England and Wales.

Kenny Boag, SEPA head of waste policy, said: "There is significant and
growing interest in the use of anaerobic digestion technology in Scotland.
It is a technology that can help maximise the recovery of value and resource
from source segregated biodegradable wastes, principally through the
recovery of biogas and high quality soil improvers. SEPA is aware that
sometimes regulation can be perceived as involving requirements that are not
commensurate with the environmental risk attached to the particular
operation. By adopting this regulatory position on PAS 110 certified
digestates SEPA is satisfied that we may secure the necessary level of
protection of the environment and human health in a way that will encourage
development and investment in anaerobic digestion technology as a means of
dealing with source segregated wastes."

Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland, added: "Anaerobic digestion
has a major role to play in delivering a Zero Waste Scotland. Returning
nutrients from food and other organic materials to the soil, so they can
improve soil quality and support food production, is the kind of closed-loop
approach we need.""

http://alturl.com/dqj3

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