Rollits organise “Food Open Day” at renewable energy plant

Rollits Food Group recently held a Food Open Day at GWEBiogas`s new, state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion plant atKirkburn near Driffield, East Yorkshire.

The site, which began operating in March, is one of thenewest and largest in the UK and takes organic waste, primarilyfrom retailers and manufacturers, and converts it into a methanerich biogas which is used to generate 2MW of renewable electricity.The site is exceptional in that it can separate packaging fromwrapped products, thereby diverting significant volumes of wastefrom landfill and helping industry meet its diversion targets. Theremaining material after digestion is a nutrient rich biofertiliser which is used on neighbouring farmland to replacemanufactured fertilisers.

Before touring the site, Tom Megginson of GWE Biogasexplained the workings of the facility to a group of speciallyinvited guests from some of the region`s leading food companies. Hesaid with a laugh "Everything you see is what happens inside acow."

"We`ve worked hard over the past few years to get everybodyfrom the food industry to see our plants and Rollits have done thattoday."

Julian Wild, partner at Rollits and head of Rollits` FoodGroup, said: "This is a very exciting project and a great business,which is very relevant to the food industry. The whole issue ofhandling food waste is vital to all food companies.

"Rollits have a strong renewables team and we were delightedto be engaged to do the legal work on this complex project, led byRollits` Planning & Development Partner, John Downing. The OpenDay has also given us a chance to introduce some of our foodclients and contacts to the GWE plant."

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