When it comes to storing biowaste, there are logistics involved in finding a suitable container and method of transport.

This organization must not become a constraint for the biowaste producer who often already has a system in place to collect and store their waste. But in the same way, it must also be able to adapt to the reception issues of the methanization site and to a simple mode of transport.

This supply chain management is all the more important with the tightening of the anti-waste law which requires producers to collect their biowaste separately and to recycle it in methanization or compost.

The first criterion that defines the container is the type of biowaste: packaged or not / solid or liquid / size / way in which it is collected… Other criteria can also come into play such as financial constraints or sufficient space to have a large container for example.

Container types can be for example:

• Closed and sealed big bags, as with biowaste from mills. They can contain between 500 and 1000 kg of material depending on the biowaste and are easily transportable on pallets. On the methanization unit, they require a separate storage area and special logistics to be able to empty them.
• Smaller bags on pallets: these are generally 25kg bags containing, for example, downgraded flours. They also require a separate storage space from the bulk piles at the methane digester, but above all more time-consuming labor and vigilance regarding the material of the bags: if the bags are 100% biodegradable, they can be incorporated directly into the hopper but it will always be necessary to separate what is not (such as strings that close the bags for example).
• Pallet boxes or pallet-boxes that allow bulk materials to be stored hermetically. They require having the right equipment to be able to stack or return them safely, and to plan a transport that returns to the departure site to bring back the emptied boxes at each rotation.
• Ampliroll skips (15m3, 20m3 or 25m3). This type of container is useful for waste such as apple pomace or spent grains. As soon as the skip is full, we organize a rotation to empty it on the methanization site and then bring it back empty.
• Large capacity grain bins into which the waste will be transferred for each rotation in general.
• For liquid biowaste: a tanker truck can be used for large volumes or an IBC (1000L tank) for smaller volumes.

The container and its size will also be a criterion for the frequency of rotations: the more we can store, the less frequent the rotations will be and therefore the more transport costs can be reduced.

The method chosen is not regulated according to the type of biowaste. However, there are good practices to follow to ensure good preservation of organic materials, especially the most sensitive ones (such as SPAN).

Méthappro supports you in the supply of inputs and in the construction of a tailor-made solution to adapt to the problems of the producer of bidoechets and the methanizer. The choice of container and transport will also be made with the aim of preserving as much as possible the methanogenic powers of the products. We can adapt the mode of transport to the equipment already available, or propose solutions with rental of the most suitable containers.

Finally, it will also be necessary to be in line with the regulations related to the transport of biowaste: depending on the nature of the material, certain traceability documents will be necessary such as the waste tracking slip. We will soon dedicate an article specifically to this subject.

For more information, contact our team: contact@methappro.fr