Digested food waste powers Linköping’s buses

Photo: Tekniska Verken Linköping

Under informaTion facTs The swedish ePa PresenTs facTs aboUT differenT issUes

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may 2009

digested food waste powers

Linköping’s buses

Waste from canteens and restaurants is used to produce biogas in Linköping in sweden. this has resulted in lower volumes of waste, better access to fossil-free fuel for the town’s public transport and improved availability of biofertiliser for agriculture. With support from the local investment programme (LIP), the Municipality of Linköping in 2001 started a project aimed at the collection and digestion of waste from canteens and restaurants. The project provides a good example of how a local authority can combine better waste separation, production of renewable fuel and positive contributions to local agriculture.

The project has placed a new product in the market and has inspired many other local authorities to continue with equivalent projects of their own. Positive environmentaL and economic imPacts

The quantity of waste incinerated has decreased by 3,422 tonnes/year. •

Biogas production has increased by 1,334,580 m

• 3_{/year, equivalent to}

12.65 GWh of renewable vehicle fuel per year.

The quantity of biofertiliser going to agriculture has increased by 3,422 ton-•

nes/year. The quantity of phosphorus going to agriculture has risen by 689 kg/ year and nitrogen by 7,136 kg/year.

Nutrients such as phosphorus, which are a finite resource, re-enter the ecocycle. •

imPLementation

The municipality installed a waste macerator at the university hospital and in two school canteens and restaurants. A tank to store the macerated waste was also

for fUrTher informaTion

contact: Linda genander, municipality of Linköping, +46 (0)13-20 91 63,

linda.genander@linkoping.se Tony borg, municipality of Linköping, +46 (0)13-20 81 53, tony.borg@linkoping.se contractors/providers:

microVac and nanoVac were supplied by envac scandinavia ab.

The screw press was supplied by coriarius ab.

The project on the internet: www.linkoping.se

for further information on best Practice: www.swedishepa.se/bestpractice www.naturvardsverket.se/mir facTs

LiP Linköping 2001 action 1b

environmental investment: mseK 3.1, grant: seK 930,000

swedish ePa se-106 48 stockholm. Visiting address: stockholm - Valhallavägen 195, Östersund - forskarens väg 5 hus Ub, Kiruna - Kaserngatan 14. Tel: +46 8-698 10 00, fax: +46 8-20 29 25, e-mail: registrator@naturvardsverket.se internet: www.swedishepa.se orders ordertel: +46 8-505 933 40, orderfax: +46 8-505 933 99, e-mail: natur@cm.se address: cm-gruppen, box 110 93, se-161 11 bromma. internet: www.naturvardsverket.se/bokhandeln

installed. The waste was then transported to the Linköping biogas facility. The municipality also installed a central screw press facility in its Technical Department. The facility handles liquid foods that have passed their best-before date from manufacturers and wholesalers.

The Technical Department plans to purchase a central waste macerator to enable it to handle large volumes of solid waste from wholesalers, such as fruit and vegetables.

PotentiaL and future benefit

There are environmental objectives to increase biological treatment for food waste. Waste macerators can result in efficient handling of organic waste. Food waste is turned into biogas, which is an important factor in the switch from fossil to renewable fuels.

Biogas produced from waste and residues offers several benefits. It eliminates a waste management problem with possible adverse effects on the environment, and production does not lead to conflicts over the use of land, for example to produce foods.

Integrated ecocycle-adapted systems of this type can be readily developed in urban settings around the world.

why besT PracTice

nanoVac has been placed on the market as a result of the project. The screw press facility is previously proven technology applied in a new way. The project has established a new system for collecting and recycling food waste. The municipality is continuing to invest in biological treatment of food waste. The collected volumes of waste are substantially larger than the target in the original application, while the costs

are substantially lower. The project has led to other municipalities and organisations having expressed interest in this way of dealing with waste.

information facts besT PracTice examPLes biogas LiP – LocaL inVesTmenT Programme, sweden

may 2009 isbn: 978-91-620-8401-1