Contract agreed for food waste treatment plant

Construction of a dedicated facility for treating food waste collected by local authorities in Edinburgh and Midlothian is expected to begin in 2014 following the appointment of Alauna Renewable Energy Ltd as preferred firm for the Zero Waste scheme.

The proposed treatment 
facility at Millerhill, Midlothian, uses an accelerated composting process called anaerobic digestion which captures methane gas and uses it to generate renewable electricity. The composted material is used as an agricultural fertiliser in crop production.

The move will provide a 
solution for treating food waste collected by councils at a competitive price and help achieve higher recycling rates.

Jim Orr, deputy environment leader of Edinburgh City Council, said: “These state-of-the-art facilities will provide a long-term, value-for-money treatment solution for food waste collected by both councils with the potential to produce a range of local benefits, particularly green energy.”