THE Environment Agency’s decision to chop excessive red tape surrounding waste fruit and vegetables has been described as a victory for common sense by landowners in the south west.

This will make it easier and cheaper for farmers to use rejected fruit and vegetables and crop by-products in energy- generating anaerobic digestion (AD) plants.

Previously, leaves and roots or bruised, misshapen or undersized vegetables were classified as waste – meaning operators had to apply for environmental permits and implement handling control regulations before they could use them in AD plants.

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) south west director, John Mortimer, explained that the CLA had argued for new guidance which differentiated between by-products and waste and wrote to the Environment Secretary, Elizabeth Truss, last month to explain why AD operators should be free to use crop residues and vegetable out-grades without the need for costly permits.

He said: “It makes total sense and removes an unnecessary piece of red tape that discouraged the use of sustainable by-products from the fruit and vegetable processing industry.

“Deregulating their use will allow more of these materials to be used to produce clean energy plus the residue of the AD process which is nutrient-rich and can be used as a viable alternative to synthetic fertiliser.”