Organic waste volumes have ballooned during the coronavirus pandemic as markets for food and beverage producers have closed up.

Responding to the concern shown by the Environment Agency and devolved nations’ regulators over waste surpluses, ADBA and the REA have created a survey to help match organic waste producers such as farms and breweries to AD operators with spare capacity.

The survey will help pair waste producers with AD plants suitable for various feedstock types, allowing waste products to be recycled into green energy and biofertilisers and diverted from landfill or incineration.

The move will also help AD operators maintain feedstock supplies and business continuity during the lockdown.

ADBA and REA are calling on AD operators across the UK to complete the survey.

Charlotte Morton, chief executive of ADBA, said: “In these extraordinary times, everyone must pull together to address the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.

“This survey of AD’s spare capacity to treat various types of organic wastes shows how our industry can proactively play its part in supporting farmers and food and drinks producers with their surplus feedstock.

“Most importantly, it delivers a solution that not only tackles the current waste surplus crisis, but also, by recycling organic wastes into biogas for power, heat, and transport, as well as biofertilisers for agriculture, sustains the economy and establishes a building block towards a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are proud to deliver such a valuable service to society and urge all AD operators to complete the survey so that our industry’s potential to help is fully assessed and realised, now and in the future.”