SUEZ has begun construction of a £35 million anaerobic digestion (AD) facility at its Ellington site in Northumberland, part of the infrastructure needed to support the rollout of food waste collections across Northumberland and the North East.
Once operational, the facility is expected to process up to 50,000 tonnes of food waste annually, producing a nutrient-rich fertiliser product alongside enough renewable gas to power around 5,500 homes.
Principal contractor O'Brien Moran and Co. has started ground works on site, with construction expected to take around 18 months, followed by a period of testing and commissioning ahead of the facility becoming fully operational in autumn 2027.
David O'Brien, managing director of O'Brien Moran and Co., said the firm was pleased to be selected by SUEZ as principal and civils contractor, and that close collaboration with the SUEZ team and EPCM specialists Stantec gave the partnership confidence in a successful outcome.
SUEZ said circularity has been central to the project's planning and delivery, noting that construction activity accounts for more than a third of global CO2 emissions. The careful dismantling of the previous on-site facility allowed significant volumes of material to be recovered: more than 10,500 tonnes of concrete from demolition is being reused in the development's formation layers, while around 60% of the structural steel needed for the main building will be reclaimed.
The project will also use biochar in ground stabilisation — a stable, carbon-rich material that can store carbon long-term. While established in agriculture and environmental remediation, its use at scale in construction and ground engineering remains relatively novel in the UK. Around 115 tonnes of Arigna biochar will be used to help offset embodied carbon from cement and ground engineering work.
The new facility will draw power from the site's existing landfill gas generation scheme, while also contributing to local energy security through its own biogas production.
The project aligns with Circularity in Practice, a voluntary, nationwide initiative inspired by King Charles III, of which SUEZ is a member. The cross-sector, business-led initiative aims to accelerate adoption of circular practices — including designing out waste, prioritising reuse, high-quality recycling, remanufacturing and repurposing — across UK industry.
John Scanlon, executive vice president UK at SUEZ, said the company was pleased to have broken ground on a project that expands regional food waste recycling capacity while providing reliable renewable energy, and highlighted that circular principles had been applied both to the new build and to the deconstruction of the previous facility.
Michelle Pinggera, chair of Circularity in Practice, said SUEZ's approach — from reusing concrete and structural steel to its use of biochar — showed how construction projects can cut waste, retain material value and lower embodied carbon, adding that she looked forward to following the project's progress.
Construction begins on £35m anaerobic digestion facility at SUEZ’s Ellington site
