Food packaging MUST comply with the anaerobic digestion process

The future of the latest renewable energy, anaerobic digestion (AD), will only work if there is clear understanding with the packing industry about what can and cannot be presented at an AD plant; mechanical separation is expensive and compostable bags do not breakdown quickly enough in AD where they clog pumps and filters.

Government has committed to focus on creating energy from waste and building an AD industry to help achieve the UK's 2020 energy targets. The process should not be underestimated, as it not only provides renewable energy, but it also creates digestate which is vital for farmers to sustainably grow food.

The packaging industry only has a short period of time to come to terms with a technology that will deal with the vast majority of organic waste in the future; now is the time to start creating AD compliant packaging.