Green Energy - Composting

Composting is important as part of a sustainable waste management approach encouraging landfill diversion, increasing recycling and providing a ‘green’ product that can be applied to a number of end uses from soil improvers through to horticultural applications.

FCC Environment operate 12 compost plants throughout the UK, split between the following methods, windrow composting, pod composting and in-vessel systems. We currently compost in excess of 100,000 tonnes each year.

The end use of the compost produced includes; restoration of our own landfill sites, manufacture of top quality soils for the retail sector and supply some to our local authority partners.

Our current composting facilities are:

Alfreton, Derbyshire

Carnaby, Bridlington

Dunbrik, Sevenoaks

Gowy, Cheshire

Shelford, Canterbury

Sutton Courtney, Oxford

Windrow composting

This is the most common method of composting garden waste. The waste is inspected on delivery to the composting site and then shredded before being heaped into long windrows. The windrows are then systematically monitored for temperature and moisture to ensure that the composting process produces a quality product. Composting via this method takes 8 to 12 weeks.

Pod Composting

Pod composting is an ideal solution for sites that are close to sensitive neighbours as the system eliminates the need for windrow turning. Each composting Pod holds around 150 tonnes of material and is fed a controlled air supply from external fans to maintain composting conditions. This process takes between 8 to 10 weeks.

In-Vessel Systems

Kitchen waste unlike garden waste has to be composted ‘in-vessel’ this is the composting process that must be undertaken in an enclosed environment.  Systems that compost in this way include vertical units, housed windrows, clamps and tunnels.