RECYCLING giant SUEZ has won permission to build a plant to turn waste food into fuel in Darwen.
The firm was last week granted approval for the anaerobic digestion facility its existing recycling park in Lower Eccleshill Road by Blackburn with Darwen planning committee.
It already has planning permission for a £300million state-of-the-art energy recovery centre to turn millions of black bin bags and their contents into steam and electricity at the site which is currently on ice.
SUEZ will decided which plant to build as part of its strategy to turn the site into a modern recycling complex when government policy on waste disposal and the market conditions for the recycling of rubbish become clearer.
The Darwen Anaerobic Digestion Facility would turn food waste into green energy, create jobs in the town and reduce reliance on landfill in the North West.
With this new planning permission and the previous one for an energy-from-waste plant, SUEZ is ready to promptly build the most appropriate one to meet the future needs of Darwen, Blackburn and the wider region when the details of government reforms to waste and recycling policy are announced.
The anaerobic digestion facility would produce enough biomethane every day to power 7,000 homes and reduce the reliance on gas derived from fossil fuels.
Anaerobic digestion is a way of processing food waste to produce renewable energy avoiding carbon emissions.
The facility would divert food waste away from landfill by turning it into biogas which is upgraded to biomethane and fed into the gas grid or converted into electricity via generators on site.
The leftover compost-like material is used as a biofertiliser.
The plans also include a new transfer station for the Lower Eccleshill Road site. Both elements will sit within its existing footprint.
Regional director for SUEZ Steve Patterson said: “Approval means we will be able to respond quickly to develop the most appropriate facility to meet Blackburn with Darwen’s future needs when government policy and market conditions are clearer.
“We are delighted with this decision that will allow us to invest in and modernise our Lower Eccleshill Road site to create local jobs and develop a local solution for food waste that produces renewable energy and can deliver nutrients back to the soil.”
Cllr Quesir Mahmood, Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration boss, said: “We are incredibly pleased. The site will bring innovative and sustainable technologies to our borough, spotlighting Darwen as a leading example within this field.”
Cllr Jim Casey, the borough's assistant environment boss, said: “Tackling food waste is a huge priority with a recent bin analysis revealing a shocking 44 per cent of general waste bin contents can be attributed to food.
“This plant will facilitate the recycling of that food waste into a bio-product, saving it from landfill."
Darwen East Liberal Democrat Cllr Paul Brown said: "I have got my reservations. I cannot make my mind up. Do we really need it?"
A planning officer's report to the committee meeting said: "The proposal will deliver an Anaerobic Digestion Facility, together with the relocation of the existing Waste Transfer Station and Materials Recycling Facility. Demolition of the existing waste management operations will facilitate the works.
"The proposed ADF will process up to 100,000 tonnes of food waste per annum."
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