As the UK’s largest producer of renewable energy from food waste, Bio Capital operates at the point where waste policy meets energy infrastructure. We see, every day, the difference that reframing food waste as a resource makes to carbon reduction, renewable energy and supply resilience.
That is why the second phase of Simpler Recycling, coming into force on 31st March, represents a genuine turning point for England.
Under the new legislation, all households, including flats, must have separate food waste collections. Food waste can no longer be disposed of with general waste, and households will receive food caddies and liners to help keep food waste separate. While some councils have agreed limited implementation delays with Defra due to local constraints, the policy is firmly in motion. As a result, from the end of March, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food waste will be recycled instead of going to landfill.
The UK produces more than 10 million tonnes of food waste every year, and up to 80% currently ends up in landfill, releasing harmful greenhouse gases.
Bio Capital partners with councils across the country to help them deliver the new Simpler Recycling legislation. Through anaerobic digestion (AD), Bio Capital transforms food waste into clean, renewable energy.
AD is a natural process where food waste is broken down without oxygen, converting material from household food caddies into energy that can power homes and businesses. By recycling food waste, communities directly benefit from significant energy generation and a reduction in carbon emissions.
As the UK’s leading AD specialist, Bio Capital processes half a million tonnes of food waste every year, saving 345,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually – the equivalent to removing 240,000 cars from the road. In 2025, Bio Capital generated enough gas to heat nearly 20,000 homes and enough electricity to power almost 65,000 homes.
The AD process also produces biofertiliser, which is returned to farmers to support sustainable agriculture and grow more food. It’s a powerful demonstration of the circular economy in action, closing the loop between what we consume and how we power our lives.
Food waste plays a crucial role in the UK’s fight against climate change. If the UK recovered all available food waste through AD, it could cut carbon emissions by up to 1.3 million tonnes every year and deliver a 6% reduction in total UK emissions, generating enough renewable energy to power hundreds of thousands, even millions, of homes.
David McKee, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Bio Capital, said:
“Food waste has enormous potential to support the energy transition. Through the AD process, and organisations like Bio Capital, it can produce power for homes and businesses, compressed natural gas for greener vehicles, and biofertiliser for sustainable farming.
“Recycling food waste is a big change for some households, but it’s a change that will bring significant benefits to our environment and our progress towards Net Zero targets.”
The upcoming legislation marks the beginning of a transition where many more households will play their part in generating renewable energy. It represents a shift towards a cleaner, greener future, where food waste becomes a valuable resource helping to power communities across the country.
