Viridor has begun construction of a £10 million food waste recycling facility at its Walpole landfill site near Bridgewater in Somerset.

The new anaerobic digestion plant, built by environmental engineering specialists Encon, is expected to have a capacity for processing 30,000 tonnes each year. Biogas resulting from the treatment will be used by the on-site combined heat and power plant, capable of generating one megawatt of electricity.

The new facility will provide a local solution for the Somerset Waste Partnership, annually processing an anticipated 20,000 tonnes of household food waste; the remaining capacity will be used for servicing catering waste from local businesses.

Patrick Murray, Viridor’s regional manager overseeing the project commented: “This is a fantastic development for Somerset that will help divert even more waste from landfill and increase recycling rates.

“The plant will also provide some excellent employment opportunities with 20 jobs during the construction phase and six full-time positions when the plant starts operating in April 2013.”

Somerset Waste Board chair Cllr Derek Yeomans said: “Somerset residents are working hard with us to maximise the weekly food collections and keep this valuable resource out of landfill. The next step, working with our partner Viridor, is to create clean, green renewable power right here in Somerset for the local grid.

“The new AD facility will also save taxpayers around £1 million over the next five years so it's a genuine win on both environmental and economic grounds. We'd like to encourage all residents to use the scheme if they are not already, as the more we can process the bigger the benefits."