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Prior
to BSE, the by-products of poultry and other meat processing
operations had a value as feed ingredients. Today they can
no longer be used for animal feed and must be disposed of
through rendering and incineration at an ever-increasing
cost to processors and the environment. These costs have
already forced a number of companies out of business.
Faced
with this challenge, Banham has developed and patented plans
for a revolutionary new method of transforming by-products
into clean, renewable energy. It involves heating by-products
under contained conditions to release a gas which is then
used to generate electricity. The process, known as pyrolysis
and gasification, is relatively new to the UK, but is well
established as a safe and extremely efficient means of energy
generation in other parts of the world.
At a
local level, the project is vital. Left unchecked, the spiralling
costs of by-product disposal threaten the very future of
Banham Poultry and the 750 jobs it supports. The new plant
will not only create additional jobs, but could also be
capable of recycling the by-products of other local processors,
offering a lifeline to similar businesses concentrated in
and around the Norfolk area.
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