Bakkafrost granted £630k towards costs of pyrolysis waste treatment
A £2.5 million project to recycle waste at salmon farmer Bakkafrost Scotland’s hatchery and post-smolt facility on the Applecross peninsula in Wester Ross has secured up to £630,290 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
In the first of its kind in Scotland, the process known as pyrolysis converts aquaculture waste into biochar, which will be used by the forestry sector.
The recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) hatchery – which gets all of its power from renewables - enables Bakkafrost to grow to larger and more smolts that are key to its “one summer” policy of reducing the number of months its salmon spend exposed to potential biological issues in marine sites.
The enclosed RAS captures fish waste, which will be processed in the new pyrolysis facility.
Fertiliser for forestry
Alastair Nicolson, HIE’s area manager for Lochaber, Skye, and Wester Ross, said: “We welcome this innovative project, that turns what was a waste stream into a product that enhances the natural environment. It also reduces the volume of waste that needs to be transported out of the area in line with the business’s commitment to reduce its impact on the environment.”
Ian Laister, managing director, Bakkafrost Scotland, said: “In a RAS facility like our Applecross site, quantities of waste materials are generated which must be separated from the water. Traditionally this material has been considered as waste for disposal, but technological advancements have allowed us to introduce an environmentally friendly management process to convert waste and produce fertiliser for use in forestry.
“The pyrolysis system delivers on our sustainability goals, creating a circular economy of production. It will be operational by the end of the year.”
