Turning Waste Pet Food into Energy
Something to wag your tail about!
Biogas Produced
Energy Generated
Pet Lovers Cups of Tea Brewed
With pet ownership on the rise, so is the production—and waste—of pet food. In the UK alone, dog numbers are projected to reach 13.5 million and cats 12.5 million by 2024, leading to unprecedented volumes of pet food waste. Instead of allowing this surplus to go unused, one innovative pet food manufacturer has turned to anaerobic digestion to transform waste into renewable energy.
This sustainable approach not only reduces landfill waste but also powers operations, providing an eco-friendly energy source while supporting the environment—a true tail-wagging win for the planet.
Client: Butternut Box – Fresh Dog Food Manufacturer
Scope:
Butternut Box was an up-and-coming name in the pet food industry with ethical principles as strong as their marketing strategy. But as they grew, so did their waste. They needed a scalable solution that could adapt to their rapidly growing production line without compromising their commitment to sustainability.
Solution:
In 2023, Butternut Box joined forces with Hemswell Biogas to find a lasting solution to their growing waste management needs. Here’s why the partnership is working so well:
- Local Processing: Hemswell Biogas is just 20 miles from Butternut Box’s kitchen production facility in Blythe, great news for reducing transportation related carbon emissions and transport costs.
- Scalability: The solution provided by Hemswell Biogas is designed to grow with Butternut Box, guaranteeing long-term sustainability as they expand further.
- Data-Driven Approach: Hemswell Biogas provides Butternut Box with access to a data portal, so they can track their waste in real time. This allows for regular reviews to make sure both parties are making the most out of their waste.
Partnership:
This partnership isn’t just good for the planet, it’s great for business too; we’ve not only helped Butternut Box achieve its sustainability goals. As a certified B Corp business, their commitment to sustainability is clear and the output of their leftover waste is a truly sustainable win!
Outcome:
Since partnering with Butternut Box in 2023, we have produced 308,000m3 of biogas from their recycled pet food waste! This amount of biogas has the potential to be transformed into enough energy to power 285 homes for a year, drive 2,300,000 miles in an EV, or make 37,000,000 cups of tea! Astonishingly, this is around only 1 third of the daily consumption of tea in the UK. Plenty of tea to go around for our nation of pet lovers!
Customer Testimonial
Our Services
Within BioteCH4 we offer services which can take the stress out of waste management, whether that be a waste collection service or the removal of oil-based waste. We will deal with all your recycling needs from either one of our AD plants across the UK, we like to think of ourselves as a one-stop shop for the recycling of a huge variety of food waste and our experienced team will make working with us easy.
