found to perform better than composting regarding climate change when the energy produced replaces fossil fuel
combustion as is the case in the UK where coal and natural gas are the main energy sources.
Summing up
Table 96 sums up how the UK waste sector contribute to make to the relevant end-of-life option more or less
beneficial from an environmental point of view and how future trends could change the picture.
Table 96 Influence of the UK context on the various end-of-life options for food and garden waste managementInfluence^ on^ the^ end‐of‐life^ options^
Elements of the UK context
Anaerobic
digestion
Incineration Composting Landfill1 Energy mix based on fossil fuels (^) ↗ ↗ ↗
2 Strong tradition for home composting (^)?
3 Current development of kerbside organic
waste collection
↗ ↗
Sector‐
based
elements
4 Lack of anaerobic digestion infrastructures ↘
5 Low carbon energy mix (^) ↘ ↘ ↘
6 Increased use of cogeneration (^) ↗ ↗
7 Development of end markets for compost
and digestate
↗ ↗
Future
trends
8 Development of anaerobic digestion
infrastructures↗
↗
Could contribute to make the concerned end‐of‐life option more beneficial from an environmental point of
view↘
Could contribute to make the concerned end‐of‐life option less beneficial from an environmental point of
view1 Currently, the UK energy mix is mainly based on fossil fuels. Therefore the energy savings brought by incineration, anaerobic
digestion and landfills make these options advantageous.
2 Home composting is well developed through the UK but there is some concern whether this form of composting is beneficial
or not regarding GHG emissions due to the possible formation of local anaerobic conditions. More research is needed in this
area.
- The current development of kerbside organic waste collection could reduce the amount of organic waste, which has a low
heating value, going to incinerators. It would also enable the development of technology for anaerobic digestion of food waste
which seems promising.
4 The lack of anaerobic digestion infrastructures does not allow for the potential of this alternative to be exploited.
5 If in the future the energy produced no longer replaces fossil energy, the advantages would not be as high.
6 The increased use of cogeneration would optimise the energy efficiency of incinerators and anaerobic digesters.
7 The development of end markets for compost and digestate would optimise the environmental benefits of these options since
it would avoid the use of inorganic products instead.
8 The development of anaerobic digestion infrastructures would contribute to developing this alternative on a larger scale and
improving the technology efficiency.
4.6 Relevance of findings in the UK context for wood
Wood is used for a whole range of applications in the UK as illustrated in Figure 52, and wood waste therefore
arises from municipal waste, construction, demolition and from manufacturing of packaging, furniture, joinery
and fencing. Estimates of the amounts of wood waste generated in the UK are hard to obtain and available
surveys present different results. However, the construction and demolition sector appears to be the greatest
contributor to wood waste arisings (WRAP, 2009 (c)).