Release date: 22 June 2026
West Sussex County Council is boosting recycling across the county with a major upgrade to its Horsham waste site.
In April this year we expanded the Anaerobic Digestion facilities at the site so we can recycle thousands of tonnes of food waste into clean energy and fertiliser each year.
This modern, sustainable way of managing waste and reducing its impact on the environment is already delivering results. Since April 2,670 tonnes of food waste, roughly the equivalent of around 200 double-decker buses, have been converted into renewable energy.
The Anaerobic Digestion and Resource Recovery Facility (ADRRF), run by Biffa as part of the West Sussex Waste Partnership (WSWP), ensures that food waste collected from homes across West Sussex is recycled locally using a process called anaerobic digestion. This creates renewable energy to help power the plant with excess exported to the National Grid, as well as nutrient-rich fertiliser for use on farmland.
The ADRRF facility has the capacity to process the 35,000 tonnes of food waste expected to be collected from households across the county each year, helping West Sussex to meet new national recycling requirements.
Wayne Lewis, Service Director for Environment and Public Protection, said:
“Reducing the amount of waste produced and managed in West Sussex is one of our key priorities, as set out in our Council Plan.
"In the county we already recycle over 100,000 tonnes of material each year and being able to now recycle food waste separately is a great achievement.
"Converting the existing plant has been a huge undertaking and is a great example of the work we do with our partners here in West Sussex, helping us make better use of resources while protecting our environment for the future."
Keith Sinfield, Managing Director of Biffa Treatment Services, said:
“Biffa is delighted to be working in partnership with West Sussex County Council to deliver a circular solution at the ADRRF facility, transforming household food waste into renewable electricity to power the site and supply the grid for local homes.
“The remaining nutrient-rich material is returned to farmland and for other beneficial uses, supporting future food production. It's a genuinely sustainable outcome for the county."
Find out how your food bin waste is being transformed into energy and fertiliser:
