FARMERS and landowners in Scotland are being encouraged to capitalise on new plans which will ensure that unavoidable household food waste is recycled.

The new Food Waste Reduction Action Plan, just unveiled by unveiled by the Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland, includes measures to ensure that households with access to food recycling facilities use them. So farmers investing in Anaerobic Digestion plants, particularly near urban areas, could benefit from an all-new source of rich feedstock.

Chris Negus, business development manager at Privilege Finance, commented: “It’s great to see the Scottish Government set such a clear action plan, with tangible changes on the horizon.

“It presents a great opportunity for farmers, landowners and businesses to get involved with AD, to help decarbonise the Scottish economy, while also reducing the environmental impact of food waste.".

The new FWRAP highlights that AD is currently the most environmentally effective method used for treating food waste in Scotland – but that only 55% of households say they’re recycling their food waste, despite over 80% of Scottish homes having access to recycling facilities.

“The Scottish Government have previously announced a ban on biodegradable municipal waste entering landfill from 2021, which means there is potentially an influx of feedstock for AD plants throughout Scotland arriving imminently,” said Mr Negus.

There are already over 50 AD plants in Scotland, with many utilising food and food processing waste to generate green electricity. However, the FWRAP is likely to mean that more plants will be needed to help manage the household food waste.

“AD can contribute significantly to the Scottish bio-economy, and I would recommend that interested parties near large towns and cities get in touch with their local councils to understand if there are opportunities to develop AD facilities to process food waste in their local areas,” he said.