Disposal Routes for Screenings Waste

Anglian Water is the largest water and water recycling company in England and Wales by geographic area. We supply water and water recycling services to almost seven million people in the East of England.

Anglian Water has 1,077 Water Recycling Centres that all carry out screening activities on incoming sewage, prior to the site's operations. This is required to collect, transport, treat and sustainably recycle all associated sludge that arise from the processing of sewage, a bi-product of the treatment of wastewater at our water recycling centres (WRCs).

Currently screenings are produced on every WRC (Water Recycling Centre) in the AWS (Anglian Water Services) region. The tonnage that is produced is proportional to the size of the surrounding population and incoming sewage. We anticipate that solutions offered with be sited within our geographic operational area or within close proximity, where solutions are offered from neighbouring areas.

There is a desire to move away from landfill to a more environmentally sensitive waste disposal route and promote our circularity by viewing the wastes as a resource or product.

The number of landfills in the UK is decreasing as they close to screenings waste - landfill availability is predicted to drop by 50% in the next 5 years. Some operators have already stopped accepting the 'water discount,' which we receive for the water content of the waste (currently 52% discount on landfill tax). Both factors are likely to increase the gate fees AW (Anglian Water) pay to deposit the wastes - losing the water discount loss could result in a significant increase to the cost of disposal.

We are seeking information on the available technologies available on the market for screenings recycling. We are seeking viable alternative waste disposal routes for our screening's wastes (European Waste Code 19 08 01). Solutions need to consider the disposal route for the screenings waste and management of any resultant products, bi-products, and residual wastes.

We are open to the idea the final product is returned to AWS for onward use (if applicable for proposed solution).

We are open to considering options that fulfil the entire 8900 tonnes of screenings waste (2021/22 data) need or a proportion of, although we would only consider proposals that could guarantee 100% diversion from landfill for the screening wastes.

We are open to the idea of working collaboratively with other water company(s) to increase the tonnes of screenings processed.

Any proposals involving recycling products to agricultural land would need to fully comply with all appropriate legislation & codes of practise, including the Safe Sludge Matrix and BAS (Biosolids Assurance Scheme) Standard where applicable.

Any proposals should highlight positive carbon impacts, which would aid Anglian Water's net zero carbon goal. A low carbon alternative solution would be preferable as it would promote our circularity and further progress to the net zero carbon goal.