STATE OF THE ART OF ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
G. K. Anderson, Senior Lecturer
C. B. Saw, Research Associate
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle, England
INTRODUCTION
Anaerobic digestion has been used for many years to stabilise sewage sludge resulting from activated sludge processing. In the past, the application of anaerobic digestion for treatment of industrial waste has largely been ignored until today when fuel shortages and the polluting ravages of
'civilised' society have made it an attractive option. In November 1982 the British Department of
Trade and Industry launched a vigorous campaign of support for industrial biotechnology by establishing a Biotechnology Unit, as a result of which there is a resurgence of interest in anaerobic digestion. The aim of the Biotechnology Unit is to advise the Department of Trade and Industry on the
ways in which U.K. Biotechnology can be strengthened and commercially exploited. Since its inception the unit has conducted a comprehensive study by pin-pointing priority areas within the U.K.
biotechnology. It has come up with an extensive list, which include the following subjects: enzymes,
vaccines, waste treatment/energy generation, monoclonal antibodies, amino-acids and food processing.
Most of the interest in the waste treatment area relate to the industrial uses of anaerobic digestion
technology indicating the strong revival of interest in this subject. Table I shows a selection of U.K.
companies using anaerobic digestion. Several research institutions and university departments are
also actively involved, particularly the Division of Public Health Engineering, University of Newcastle
upon Tyne, which has been in the forefront in the research and development of anaerobic digestion.
Table I. A Selection of Companies
Using Anaerobic Digestion [43]
Company Waste
Alders (Tamworth) Ltd. Paper Industry
Everest Frozen Foods Ltd. Potato
Macallan Glenlivet Ltd. Pot-ale stillage
Tunnel Refineries Ltd. Granary
Tate and Lyle Ltd. Molasses
St. Ivel Ltd. Dairy (whey)
Walker's Crisps Ltd. Potato
British Sugar (Bury St. Ed- Sugar Beet
munds)
Rank Hovis McDougal Starch Gluten
Sturge Chemicals Citric Acid
Milk Marketing Board Dairy Products
Bulmers Cider Cider and Pectin
783