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WRAP Studies AD Potential For Newer Markets

28 February 2011

In a bid to boost the potential in anaerobic digestion, WRAP is conducting a series of trials in England and Scotland to explore the use of anaerobic digestate as an alternative to traditional fertilisers in landscaping and regeneration projects. The studies could open an array of markets for the digestate, which is already making waves in the renewable energy sector by providing nutrient-rich bio-fertiliser. The studies will aim to provide a cost effective alternative to expensive commercial fertilizers for the UK's landscape and regeneration sectors; benefiting small independent firms and large environmental regeneration projects.

Paul Mathers, programme manager, Landscape & Regeneration at WRAP, explained: "We have seen significant improvement in how vegetation establishes itself in brownfield restoration and sport turfs through the use of BSI PAS 100 compost. I am confident that anaerobic digestate offers similar environmental and economic benefits.

"If successful, the results will have far reaching implications for a wide range of regeneration programmes and sports turf applications. The use of anaerobic digestate could open new markets on a national scale."

Experiments are already underway In Yorkshire, England, with Walker Resource Management (WRM) and Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) working in partnership and conducting two trials to assess the anaerobic digestate when used as a sports turf fertilizer. And a third trial is in progress to examine the use of anaerobic digestate, alongside water filter sludge and BSI PAS 100 quality compost, to assess its suitability as an aid to establishing vegetation on harsh landscapes.

Furthermore, in Scotland, David Jarvis Associates, along with Forest Research, are jointly working on the Forestry Commission Newton nursery near Elgin to study the effect of the digestate when used in combination with BSQ PAS 100 quality compost as a water retention "blanket" to target root growth in trees, and in the retention of nutrients in soil. Another two trials run by Earthcare and Forestry Commission will study the benefits of using digestate in the growing of energy crops and to ascertain if silver birch, grown for biomass production, can be established on post-industrial land respectively.

Krishna Buddhiraju