Suppliers of Food Waste Depackaging and Separation Equipment Listed

 Make no mistake, there have been significant advancements in food waste depackaging and separation equipment in recent years. 

The industry is moving away from first-generation equipment, which consisted of repurposed machines originally designed for MSW sorting, milling, pulping, paper, and card and shredding, and toward purpose-built models that are the result of many years of innovative design.

List Criteria: Depackaging and Separation Machines

We looked for the following characteristics in the listed equipment:

1. Acceptance of a diverse range of biowastes, ranging from OFMSW (Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste) to "Out of Specification." Food-processing-industry-related products
2. Off-the-shelf, tried-and-true designs are preferred over one-of-a-kind, custom-designed prototype equipment.
3. A process philosophy which avoids creating microplastics.

In contrast to suppliers who offer separate units for each function, such as bagging, the new generation of this equipmentis integrated and carries out multiple functions in a single process stage.

such as bag opening and shredding followed by separation and sometimes multiple other units

Suitability for the equipment to be used in conjunction with the anaerobic digestion process.

The best depackaging equipment will separate and capture organic packaging materials from food waste, and also separate and recycle as much of the reject material (e. g. plastics) as possible.

Subject to regulatory requirements, operators of the new generation of this equipment will be able to benefit from green credentials. These come from reclaiming the organic content of food waste and incorporating it into the highest purity quality, natural compost and sustainable soil products.

In the post CPO26 era, all businesses must not only act in a sustainable way but also make plans and publish targets to decarbonise their whole organisations by 2050 or earlier. One way to do this for any organisation which produces food waste, and even some other previously unused organic materials, is to carry out their own in-house depackaging and separation.

An example of government involvement in this process is the US Food Waste Management Program. This scheme is addressing a major issue of our time that directly affects the human and ecological balance of the environment. That is by reducing methane emissions while also creating renewable energy to displace the use of fossil fuels.

There is no doubt that climate change can be reduced by reducing food waste, and recycling more. Where unavoidable waste still occurs it makes sense to channel it back into the circular economy. 

Efficiently depackaging food waste is a key component in this area.

According to the USDA, food waste represents 30 % of all American food manufactured. This can be due primarily to over-consumption in the homes and subsequently. In food production, there are evidently still many wastes generated in even the most sophisticated manufacturing facilities.

We have compiled our waste depackaging and separation equipment supplier list as a resource for all organic waste/ biowaste processors in the hope that we can assist in the selection of the most suitable equipment for their purchasing decisions.

For our list go to our list of food waste depackaging and separation suppliers here.

Case Study: Digester Mixing System Increases Biogas Production by Over 40%

New digester mixing technology has helped a prominent food waste-to-energy plant enhance its biogas production by an average of more than 43%.

Biogas yields have been improved by Landia and Hayley Group working together closely.

Hayley Group, an engineering component supplier, was consulted about the availability of an alternative, superior mixing system for its customer's second digester; mixers that, unlike those in the first tank, would eliminate typical biogas process problems such as foam, blocking, and crusting – and in doing so, help boost the levels of methane in the gas.

Hayley Group’s Engineer, Rob Bentley, said:

“We constantly look to help customers improve efficiencies. This project is of particular note because, with the new, superior mixing system, the increase per cubic metre in gas from the second digester is over 40%. This is extremely encouraging, to say the least, especially when you consider that the second digester also has 10% less capacity than the older first tank”.

Visit: www.blog.anaerobic-digestion.com/digester-mixing

Anaerobic Digestion Costs - The Short Answer

We'll look at how much anaerobic digestion costs in general in this article. 

We also go over other basic rules of thumb to assist folks who are trying to figure out how much a biogas digester will cost in our main article here.

Capital Expense

Depending on the size of the facility and the technology employed, a commercial microbial anaerobic digester can cost anywhere from $400,000 to $5,000,000 to develop. An anaerobic digestion plant on a farm costs about $1.2 million dollars on average.

Operating Costs

In 2022, a medium-sized commercial on-farm digester with 250 cows will cost around $0.30 to run all-in. Electricity sales will bring in around half of that.

Upgrading to biomethane raises costs, but in the appropriate circumstances, it can pay for itself.

Profitability in power generating is dependent on additional revenue from sources such as:

Entrance fees

• Subsidies from the government
• Sales of digestate as a natural fertiliser (liquid and fibre), bedding material (fibre), and insulating product (fibre)
• On-farm or through delivery to a local greenhouse, business, or housing complex, combined heat and power (CHP) is used for home heating.

It is often possible to assure the profitability of a biogas plant by creative thinking and even by coming up with a unique "out-of-the-box" solution.