An environmental group searching for a green solution to sludge created by the wool industry has received a major cash boost.

Biffaward, a multi-million pound environment fund set up by Biffa Waste Services, has awarded £27,451 to the Green Business Network.

The organisation is working with eleven wool-scouring companies in the Bradford and North Kirklees areas.

All the firms have to deal with a significant amount of sludge as part of their production process. Due to contamination, it is unusable for any applications and is currently disposed of through landfill.

The wool-scouring industry is keen that a more environmentally-sound method of disposing of the sludge is found.

The Green Business Network, working with Yorkshire Water, the Bradford-based Confederation of British Wool Textiles and ENCO - Wool Mark - will use the award to develop a composting technique for the waste.

Trials will involve composting 600 tonnes of the material. They will include looking into the possibility of adding other waste materials, testing the end product for toxicity and use the findings to develop a Best Practice guide for treating the sludge.

If successful, the treatment system will divert 40,000 tonnes of waste from landfill a year. The £27,451 grant includes a £2,745 contribution from Kirklees Council as the scheme needs ten per cent in matched funding.

Biffa, which operates the landfill restoration project at Howden Clough, Birstall, provides a range of municipal, commercial and industrial waste collection services including the management of 29 landfill restoration projects across the UK.

The £4 million a year Biffaward fund has been set up using tax charged on waste taken into landfill sites to help finance environmental and heritage projects.

Martin Bettington, chairman of Biffaward, said: "This one of many projects inspired by different industries seeking environmentally sound and cost-effective solutions in treating difficult waste within their sector.

"Biffaward is proud to support a large number of these schemes, all of which work towards the aim of reducing waste sent to landfill - helping to meet targets outlined in recent European guidelines."

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