Closing the loop on
When it comes to London’s food waste, local recycler Bio Collectors is on a mission to instigate change using anaerobic digestion. With more than 15 years’ experience behind it and a strong hyper-localised business model, the company is closing the loop on the UK’s food waste. Commercial Director Phil Roche discussed the latest developments, during an in-depth interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Bio Collectors evolved from the rescue of a failing composting plant and one man’s desire to make a difference.
“The company was founded in 2009 by Paul Killoughery, a well-known figure in the industry, who felt he could improve the
anaerobic digestion process,” explained Commercial Director Phil Roche. “And we have remained at the forefront of London’s anaerobic digestion sector ever since.”
Initially established with one food waste truck, the company has gone on to evolve
FOOD WASTE SPECIMEN
SPECIMEN
Like any recycling company, Bio Collectors continuously strives for a more circular economy, and thanks to its hyper-localised business model, it is achieving these exact results along the M25.
“Unlike conventional anaerobic digestion, which relies on crops grown specifically for the waste-to-energy process, we take domestic and commercial food waste that might otherwise be deemed contaminated and give it a new lease of life,” revealed Mr Roche.
Bio Collectors utilises its fleet of vehicles to collect customers’ waste, ready for
processing. Once it arrives at the facility, the waste is then assessed for any contaminants and sent for separation once given the ‘all clear’. The waste is then ground to a paste before entering the company’s digestion tanks where it is broken down into various resources, including methane. This is then purified and utilised to power the company’s eco-friendly vehicle fleet and its plant.
“We also upgrade any excess gas and directly inject it into the national grid to help power the UK’s homes with cleaner, greener energy,” continued Mr Roche. “In doing so,
By employing a hyper-localised, closed loop method Bio Collectors cuts out unnecessary traveling, reduces carbon emissions and streamlines operations for greater efficiency and sustainability. All while operating at 92% capacity and collecting between 5,000 and 6,000 bins per week.
we generate enough gas to power around 11,000 homes on a daily basis.”
Every byproduct of the process is utilised, from the waste packaging (which is separated and processed) to the digestate, which is BSI PAS 110 certified and nutrient rich – making it the perfect fertiliser for local farms.
Bio Collectors has mastered this approach, earning prestigious recognition and multiple awards, including an AD & Biogas Industry award, a Circular Economy award, and an SME National Business Silver award.
The company’s green method also attracted the attention of major renewable energy infrastructure investment fund JLEN Environmental Assets Group, which went on to acquire 100% of the business in 2024.
New guidance
JLEN, which is owned and operated by longstanding investor Foresight Group, had the size and experience needed to take Bio Collectors to the next level.
“Everything that Bio Collectors had achieved in the past was really driven by Paul and his passion for the business,” said Mr Roche. “However, it got the point where further market expansion would require a greater vision and a larger investment that only a board and an investment firm could supply.
“It has been a big transition for the company, but one that has brought a lot of stability and benefits. Being large companies, both JLEN and Foresight have significant expertise that we can absorb and learn from, which is great.”
Bio Collectors has made sure to make the most of this newfound expertise, to ensure its processes are as efficient as possible. To achieve this, the company has recently replaced its tank membranes. Although costly, this investment will significantly
improve the efficiency of Bio Collector’s tanks for a minimum of five years.
“The number one problem that our industry faces is abatement, so regular equipment upgrades are essential to mitigate the risk of methane leaks,” explained Mr Roche. “Our membranes act as liners that help prevent gas from escaping into the atmosphere. So replacing them was crucial.”
Keen to remain at the leading-edge, the company also introduced a new transport management system to optimise its routes. Purgo provides smart planning for transport operators, in order to successfully minimise the cost of empty journeys, optimise fleet utilisation and react to last-minute changes. Bio Collectors is also relying on this new system to provide more accurate bin-weight data.
Bio Collectors also collaborates closely with UK distributor S+A Blackwell Ltd, moving to the 100% natural FerroBio for H2S control in the digester. FerroBio is safer to handle than Ferric Chloride, non-corrosive on Bio Collectors’ plant and healthy for the digester’s biology.
Improving recycling rates
Having an efficient process is incredibly important to Bio Collectors, especially as it gears up for an increased demand.
This efficiency is matched by the versatility of its operations: as long as you can eat it, Bio Collectors can process it – an advantage that sets it apart from many other recycling initiatives.
“What can go in a recycling bin varies from borough to borough, and that lack of consistency can be really confusing for people,” said Mr Roche. “The biggest challenge recycling companies have is people’s apathy, which often leads to a lack of separation. This isn’t a problem when it comes to food waste. Food waste is simple: people put food in the bin, and we take it away.”
With food waste recycling so easy, more homes and businesses feel encouraged to partake and do so correctly. This is reflected in Bio Collectors’ contamination rates which are at an all-time low. Only 4% of all domestic waste collected by Bio Collectors is contaminated and 0% is rejected. These figures are slightly higher on the commercial side, with around 20% of waste being contaminated. However, the company is on a mission to get these statistics down.
“We work closely with our clients to help them reduce their contamination rates,” explained Mr Roche. “When we work with a new company, we calculate analytical data that helps us rationalise waste streams and set new targets for improvement.”
Education is also a major factor in Bio Collector’s mission to improve contamination
rates. According to Mr Roche, businesses need to take a leaf out of the municipal book and start sorting their waste as if they were at home. The incoming Food Waste Legislation that comes into effect in April is also expected to have a significant impact in ensuring every business sorts its waste correctly.
Despite this being a positive change for the industry, Mr Roche is also fearful that it could lead to the country harbouring a surplus of food waste without enough facilities to properly process it.
“Our permit allows us to process 100,000 tonnes of food waste each year, but with the country’s plans to implement a more circular approach to recycling, the amount of waste being properly processed is bound to increase,” explained Mr Roche. “And as lot of Government subsidies come to an end, which most anaerobic digestion facilities rely upon, things feel very uncertain. One thing is for sure though, no matter what the future brings, the government needs to act soon to ensure there will be enough facilities in the UK to cover future demand.”
