Circular Economy Energy Members News Public News Sharing Practice Transport

More food waste-powered trucks ‘buzzing’ around the West

Two new large recycling vehicles – which are powered entirely from the food waste they collect – have launched to service cafés, restaurants, schools, and offices across the West. They are the latest addition to the expanding fleet of ‘Bio-Bees’, which have served Bristol since 2017, and have been affectionately nicknamed Buzz Lightyear and Buzz Aldrin by the public, following a poll by their creators at renewable energy and recycling company, GENeco. The two newcomers are being deployed wider across Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, and South Wales. The food waste collected by the Bio-Bees is taken to GENeco’s anaerobic digestion facility in Avonmouth, where it is turned into clean biomethane fuel used to sustainably power local homes and – in a UK first – the Bio-Bees themselves, reducing their wheel-to-wheel carbon dioxide and particulate matter emissions by over 90%, than if they were to be powered by diesel. Francis Marsh, head of liquid waste resources at GENeco, said: “Following the success of our Bio-Bees operating in Bristol and the positive changes they have made to the local environment, we are really excited to expand the service to collect and recycle food waste from more businesses across a larger region. “Every year an estimated 20 million tonnes of greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere across the UK from food waste that is sent to landfill to rot, instead of being recycled. The Bio-Bees allow us to harvest the valuable energy and nutrients in food waste and use it to power homes and vehicles in a more sustainable and ethical way.” GENeco notes that, following the momentum generated by the recent IPCC report and the successful bid for Bristol to be named a Gold Sustainable Food City, businesses with foodservice facilities are more interested than ever in being sustainable, carbon-neutral and sending less waste to landfill.
News Sharing Practice Uncategorised

WoE Better Business For All Business Survey

Help us help you comply with the law in the West of England- your opinion matters!

Local authorities in the West of England want to save you time and money, and make it quicker and easier for you to comply with the law. Local regulation takes many forms- it includes trading standards, environmental health, animal health, licensing, planning and fire and community safety. For us to develop a new approach to regulation we need your help.
Please take 5 minutes to give us your honest feedback about your experiences of regulation and how you think we can improve this at . The survey closes on the 30th November.

By participating in this survey, you’ve made your voice heard and are helping shape the way we regulate you locally. Thank you for your time and input.

 

If you have included your email address we will send you a summary of the results.

News Sharing Practice

Do you get any of your water from a Borehole?

Do you use bore hole water for industrial use in the Portbury/Avonmouth area?
One of our members who abstracts water from two bore holes locally is looking to improve the quality of the abstracted water. They would like to share practice and experience with others using bore holes across the area. Please email Kate Royston (kate.royston@severnnet.org).