Biogas AD Plant Equipment To Be Tested By Avalanche Of Food Waste From Panic Buying

Panic buying from those scared by Coronavirus is going to see vast volumes of unused food products heading to AD/biogas plants – which might pose problems for those without the best equipment – according to leading pump manufacturer, Landia.

“The industry needs feedstock”, said Landia’s Howard Burton, “but as panic buyers begin to regret overloading their supermarket trolleys with too many perishables, the sudden rush of food waste may arrive at AD plants at an even bigger rate than the post-Christmas wave of unwanted goods”.

Burton pointed out that experienced industry operators such as Cannington Bio Energy are always geared up for the huge variances of food waste, but others who perhaps haven’t invested in top quality pumps, may see an adverse effect on their process – potentially with equipment that becomes blocked, or later with digesters that get weighed down with so much packaging waste grit and plastics that biogas yields are adversely affected.

“It’s a tough industry where the learning never stops”, continued Burton, “but at this extremely testing time for the world, some AD/Biogas operators who use food waste as feedstock are going to find it very difficult to keep everything as balanced as possible to manage their processes. The torrent of food waste from panic buying isn’t far away”.

He added: “The Chopper Pump, which Landia invented 70 years ago, is a tried and tested example of equipment that takes massive punishment at AD/Biogas plants, but keeps on working, without blockages. Lesser pumps, which aren’t really suited to the industry may not be able to cope with what’s ahead soon”.