Posted: 16 August, 2021. Written by REAL
The BCS has announced that 100 AD plant operators are now participating in the scheme, as Barkip AD plant joins.
The scheme - established in 2007 and administered by Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd (REAL) - continues to grow and approximately half of the total number of waste-fed AD plants in the UK are now participants, underlining the value that AD operators place in being certified under the BCS.
The 100 AD plants certified by BCS are collectively processing 5 million tonnes of biowastes and/or biodegradables materials on an annual basis, contributing greatly to the national food waste recycling rate.
The digestate produced by the recycling or recovery of these materials through quality-controlled AD processes is consistently safe and of good quality for use as a renewable fertiliser. Certification by the BCS assures the product's quality as a soil improver, a valuable source of nutrients and a replacement for expensive mineral fertilisers. The BCS therefore offers an opportunity for AD operators looking for a reliable market for the digestate they produce.
Virginia Graham, Chief Executive of Renewable Energy Assurance Limited (REAL) said:
“I am thrilled to see the BCS reach this milestone of 100 AD plant operators.
"The BCS gives confidence to farmers, retailers, and consumers that they can be certain the anaerobic digestate spread to land from BCS certified producers is consistently safe and of good quality.
"AD plant operators recognise the huge value of having this assurance for their product and that is reflected in the number of scheme participants that continues to grow.”
David Collins, joint founder and former Head of the REAL Biofertiliser Certification Scheme (BCS), said:
“Farmers have long acknowledged the multiple benefits of quality digestate in terms of soil fertility and the displacement of expensive chemical fertilisers, and the achievement of the 100th BCS compliant plant on the scheme marks a huge expansion of its use as a product.
“This has been achieved by meticulously building market confidence for its use through the outstanding administration of REAL, whose success this year has been recognised by the award of the OBE to REAL Chief Executive Virginia Graham. I am proud to congratulate Virginia and the entire team at REAL at this moment of industry and national recognition.”
ENDS
For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Will Stevens, Marketing Executive,
07984 552219/ will@realschemes.org.uk
Notes to editors:
BCS is administered by REAL. For more information, visit: https://www.realschemes.org.uk/
The statement that half the total number of waste-fed AD plants being participants of the BCS is based on figures from the NNFCC – these suggest there are approximately 200 such plants in the UK. The full dataset can be found here: https://www.biogas-info.co.uk/resources/biogas-map/
About the BCS
The Biofertiliser Certification Scheme (BCS) provides assurance to consumers, farmers, food producers and retailers that digestate produced from anaerobic digestion is safe for human, animal and plant health. Biofertiliser is the name adopted for the digestate that is certified under the BCS for end-of-waste and quality assured status or quality assured status.
Any producer can apply for certification, irrespective of the country in which the digestate is used.
For more information, visit: https://www.biofertiliser.org.uk/