Proceedings

With ever increasing focus on circular economy and in the face of our global climate crisis, the UK Water Industry will be required to recognise increasing value from its bioresources. Whilst energy recovery through advanced digestion technologies and beneficial land application drive current thinking and may remain business as usual in the emerging sludge markets, it is interesting to explore the additional value that could be realised through alternative technologies and what the benefits of closing these bioresource value loops could be in terms of our climate impact. We know more energy, carbon, phosphorus, VFAs, PHAs, cellulose and more can could be recovered from our waste materials – what impact on the UK national demand would this have? What could be the resulting impact on our climate change contribution? To truly realise more value from our waste and its potential to play a greater role in climate change mitigation through resource recovery and reuse, the industry may need to step outside its comfort zone and confront significant technical, commercial, regulatory and social challenges. This paper considers the ‘what if’ of future bioresources scenarios and progression given the decisions and drivers of today and tomorrow.