Construction begins on AD plant

Viridor, a waste management company based in the UK, has broken ground on a new anaerobic digestion (AD) plant that is located close to Bridgwater in Somerset, UK.

It is the first AD plant in that region of the country and will be situated next to the Walpole landfill site, coming online in April 2013.

The Somerset Waste Board approved the facility in September 2011 and it will cost about £10 million (€12 million) to build.

The plant is expected to process 30,000 tonnes of waste a year, with 20,000 tonnes coming from the Somerset Waste Partnership which is made up of the six local councils, and 10,000 tonnes coming from restaurants, shops and other local businesses.

The facility will produce enough power for 1,700 homes and will provide jobs for 20 people during construction and six people once the project is complete.

The plant has a contract with Somerset Waste Board which runs until 2022, aiming to manage the region’s waste.