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The United KingdomLocal Government Association (LGA) Pilot Projects Confronted with the twin challenges of sustainable waste management and severe budget constraints in England, the Local Government Association (LGA) Productivity Programme developed a series of food waste disposer (FWD) field studies in partnership with local authorities. The trials bring together all of the pertinent organisations including Defra, the Environment Agency, the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT). In addition to calculating potential cost-savings to local authorities, the studies also assessed any cost transfers from the local authority onto householders or water companies. Two studies have been undertaken: Shropshire Council 139 new-build homes on two sites in Shrewsbury were fitted with FWDs in field trials that started in 2012. These households were then monitored for their impact on the sewers and on the amount of residual household waste produced. The studies found that there was a reduction in residual waste of between 44% and 46% over a 2 year period as a consequence of FWD use without evidence of increased sewer blockages caused by ground food waste or BOD loadings beyond a typical range. As a result of their review and the field studies, the Local Government Association is recommending a new specification for FWD use to be included in planning guidelines. Cotswold Council |