Understanding risks and optimising anaerobic digestion to minimise pathogen and antimicrobial resistance genes entering the environment

Anaerobic digestion (AD) utilises organic materials to produce energy via biogas while also producing nutrient-rich digestate ideal for land application as fertiliser. However, there may be a risk to human (and livestock) health through transmission of pathogens to land and uptake into the food chain, direct environmental contact or run-off into water courses.