Food waste power plans discussed

Residents between Rhuallt and St Asaph have been given newsletters

Denbighshire Council has unveiled plans to build a biogas plant which could turn kitchen waste from three counties into power.

It has bought a former abattoir site at Waen Gate near St Asaph on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government, which wants to promote food waste recycling.

Under the plans, being discussed on Tuesday, the anaerobic digester could treat about 20,000 tonnes annually.

Any power produced could potentially be sold to the National Grid.

In a newsletter sent to local residents between Rhuallt and St Asaph, the council said the plant could use "organic matter such as waste from cattle, chickens and pigs," as well as cardboard and food waste.

It is understood waste could also be used from Flintshire and Conwy.

Anaerobic digestion is a natural process which enables organic matter to be broken down by bacteria in the absence of air.

The council said the Welsh Assembly Government had provided local authorities with money to help introduce kerbside food and kitchen waste collections schemes.

Up to 15 vehicles a day could deliver about 80,000 tonnes of waste weekly

It said the assembly government intended to make it a statutory duty for councils to separately collect and recycle food waste.

The assembly government paid for the site and would pay for any maintenance costs, Denbighshire said.

Whilst the Waen site has been highlighted, Denbighshire Council said the final decision on a food recycling plant had not been made.

A final decision is not expected to be made until 2010.