Recycling Food Waste Could Power
500,000+ Homes
Food waste could soon become one of the UK’s most overlooked energy sources.
New analysis from Divert shows that England’s food waste collections could generate enough energy to power more than 500,000 homes, as Simpler Recycling is rolled out across the country.
With standardised food waste collections and increased participation from households and businesses, organic waste is set to play a much more prominent role in renewable energy generation.
A growing source of untapped energy
Food waste is already being collected and processed across many parts of England, but the current picture is fragmented.
Based on available local authority data, participating councils currently collect 2,478,241 tonnes of organic waste each year. Through anaerobic digestion, this can generate around 743,472,398 kWh of energy.
That is already enough to power approximately 275,360 homes annually.
However, many councils do not yet offer full food waste collections. This means a significant amount of potentially valuable material is still being lost to general waste streams.
What changes under Simpler Recycling?
The enhanced rollout of Simpler Recycling will require all English local authorities to offer food waste collections. By standardising how waste is separated and collected, the aim is to increase recycling rates and reduce confusion.
For households and many businesses, this means separating food waste alongside other key streams such as dry mixed recycling and general waste.
As collections become more consistent nationwide, the volume of food waste captured is expected to increase significantly.
Divert’s analysis estimates that when all councils introduce food waste collections, total volumes could rise by 1,704,311 tonnes, bringing the total to 4,182,552 tonnes per year.
This increase alone could generate an additional 511,293,300 kWh of energy, enough to power a further 189,367 homes.
The impact of higher participation
Beyond the rollout of collections, participation levels will be key in unlocking the full potential of food waste.
With clearer national rules, improved communication, and more consistent services, it is realistic to expect increased household and business engagement.
If participation increases by just 20% across councils that already collect food waste, total volumes could reach 4,678,200 tonnes annually.
This would generate around 1,403,460,178 kWh of energy, enough to power approximately 519,800 homes.
To put that into perspective, this level of energy could:
Power hundreds of thousands of households each year
Support the equivalent energy demand of hundreds of supermarkets
Supply energy to multiple small towns
It highlights how food waste is no longer just a disposal issue, but a meaningful contributor to the UK’s energy mix.
How food waste becomes energy
Food waste is processed through anaerobic digestion, a natural process where organic material breaks down in the absence of oxygen.
This produces biogas, which can be used to generate electricity and heat or upgraded into biomethane for use in the gas grid. The remaining material, known as digestate, is used as a fertiliser.
With more waste captured through dedicated collections, the UK has an opportunity to scale this process significantly and make better use of an often overlooked resource.
Regional differences and growth potential
The data also highlights clear regional differences in how food waste is currently collected and where the biggest opportunities lie.
At present, the South East collects the highest volume of food waste, followed closely by the East of England and the North West.
However, this balance is expected to shift as more councils introduce collections.
The North West is projected to become the leading region once all councils offer food waste services, with the potential to collect over 648,000 tonnes annually.
The North East shows the most significant growth potential, with a projected increase of more than 31,000%. This is largely because only one council in the region currently reports food waste collections.
Yorkshire and the Humber is also expected to see substantial growth, with major urban areas such as Leeds projected to become some of the largest contributors once collections are fully implemented.
Leading local authorities
Some councils are already setting the pace on food waste collection.
Stockport currently collects the highest volume of organic waste, followed by Cheshire East and East Riding of Yorkshire. Several North West authorities feature prominently among the top collectors, highlighting the region’s strong existing infrastructure.
Looking ahead, larger cities that do not yet offer full collections are expected to climb the rankings. Birmingham and Leeds are both projected to become among the top food waste collectors once services are introduced.
This shift reflects the impact that consistent, nationwide collection systems can have when applied across densely populated areas.
What this means for businesses and households
For businesses, particularly in sectors such as hospitality, retail, and food production, the expansion of food waste collections brings
both new responsibilities and opportunities.
Separating food waste correctly will become a standard requirement, but it also provides a more efficient and sustainable way to manage waste.
For households, simpler and more consistent systems should make recycling easier to understand and follow, increasing overall participation.
John Verity, Managing Director at Divert, commented:
“The introduction of standardised food waste collections is a positive step forward. At the moment, the picture varies widely across England, and that inconsistency limits how much waste we can recover and reuse.
“What’s important now is helping people understand the value of separating food waste correctly. When you look at the energy potential, it becomes clear that this is not just about waste disposal. It’s about making better use of a resource that can contribute to the UK’s wider energy goals.”
A shift in how we view food waste
As food waste collections expand, there is a clear shift in how organic waste is viewed.
Rather than being something to dispose of, it is increasingly recognised as a resource that can be recovered and reused.
With the right infrastructure and participation, food waste has the potential to support renewable energy generation at scale, reduce reliance on landfill, and contribute to a more circular economy.
Simpler Recycling is expected to play a key role in accelerating that transition.
Methodology
Divert analysed publicly available local authority waste data across England to estimate current food waste collection volumes and energy potential.
Energy generation was calculated using an average conversion rate of 300 kWh per tonne of food waste through anaerobic digestion.
Population data and average food waste generation rates of 0.07 tonnes per person were used to estimate potential increases in regions and councils where collections are not yet fully implemented.
A projected 20% increase in participation was applied to existing food waste collection areas to model potential future uptake under standardised national recycling rules.
You can view the full dataset and methodology here.
