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Powys County Council has confirmed its commitment to a regional approach to processing food waste by entering into agreement with Ceredigion County Council.

This arrangement will help both councils to achieve their recycling targets by using an anaerobic digestion contract with Oxford-based company, Agrivert.

The anaerobic digestion process has significant environmental benefits as it uses methane, a damaging environmental gas generated from decomposition, as a fuel source for electricity generation. The resulting solid material can be used as a fertiliser for agricultural land.

Steve Holdaway, Powys County Council’s Head of Local and Environmental Services, said: “The new contract, which will start in the autumn, offers both councils substantial cost savings over current arrangements. Although the material will be hauled to Oxford, this arrangement still provides significant environmental advantages.

“As there is no plant in Mid Wales, the cost of building a new facility would double the costs for processing food waste. The Welsh Government is also supporting the Central Wales collaboration with funding because anaerobic digestion is their preferred method of processing food waste.”

The new contract will be a first for Wales and helps to keep the region at the forefront of the country’s recycling efforts.