that wet samples give slightly higher BMP results than dried samples,
that inoculum should be from a healthy, stable AD process,
and that inoculum which has previously been acclimatised to a given
substrate gives the best BMP results. The range of results for
the same food waste samples ranged from 314 to 529 L CH4 kg
VS1 added depending on the apparatus used and the source of inoculum.
This range would obviously have a very significant impact on
the calculated renewable energy resource associated with OFMSW.
From this study food waste has the potential to provide 2.8%
renewable energy supply in transport. The Animal By-Products Regulations
does not permit digestate from food waste to be applied to
agricultural land unless it is source segregated. Therefore in order to
realise the full bioresource from food waste source segregation of
municipal waste must be fully implemented at national level.