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An overview of biowaste management opportunities

Jeremy JacobsDevelopment Director

The Composting Association

The Composting Association

The Who

The WHO UK’s leading not for profit membership

organisation which promotes the use of Biological treatment activities.

Information focal point for all stakeholders involved in biowaste treatment

Promotes the long term sustainability of the biowaste industry

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“Promoting the Sustainable Management of Biodegradable Resources”

Information

Certification schemes

- compost

- compostable packaging

Conferences & seminars

Trade association

Broad range of

members

Proactive policy work

Composting News

Publications

In practice it’s complex!

COMPOSTINGLegislation

LicensingPlanningAnimal by-productsEU Directives

IdeologyWaste hierarchyProximity principlePolitical will

Environmental impacts

StorageTransport

ProcessingEnd uses

End usesContaminantsBenefitsMarketing/sTransportStandards

SeasonalityArisingsAccess to

gardens

SociologicalParticipationEducationPerceptionPolitical will

CostsCapitalRevenue

Collection & transport

Composting processesWASTE ORGANIC MATERIALS + £ gate fee

SORTING

SHREDDING

ACTIVECOMPOSTING

SCREENING

COMPOST + £ product value

CURING

•(By hand; mechanical)Rejects

•High capacity shredder

Introduce oxygen60 - 70 °C

•Windrow turner•Front end loader•Forced aeration•In-vessel system

“Maturation phase”Temperature ambient

•Trommel, power or star screenRejects

© The Composting Association

What can be composted ?

May be anywhere between 30 - 50 % (w/w) municipal

waste suitable for composting

}

} Some paper & card

Garden wastes and kitchen putrescibles(botanical origin)

17% Kitchen waste

18 % Paper

3 % Fines

3 % Textiles

16 % Other

8 % Metal

7 % Glass

7 % Plastics

BIO

DE

GR

AD

AB

LE

20% Garden waste

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Recycling, Energy & Strategies

Waste Strategy for England 2007– Targets for local authorities– C&I waste– Focus on Anaerobic Digestion by DEFRA

Energy White Paper– Energy security– Biomass – possible threat– Proposed 2 x ROCs and subsidies for AD– “Peak oil” debate

UK Composting Industry

•3.4 million tonnes organic wastes composted in 2005/06

•1 million tonnes compost supplied to agriculture

•Main feedstocks and processing types:– Green waste – open windrow– Green/food waste – enclosed/in-vessel

•Green waste = 81% of wastes composted in 2005/06

•Food waste = 12% of wastes composted in 2005/06

•National quality standard – BSI PAS 100 & QP

Background Sustained growth in composting over

last decade

Regulations and Industry Standards

• Regulatory Controls:– Animal By-Products Regulations –

enforced by SVS (now called Animal Health)

– Waste Management Licensing Regulations – enforced by EA/SEPA

– Some sites run under an exemption (volume related)

• Industry standards:– BSI PAS 100 and Quality Protocol –

audited by independent certification bodies managed by The Composting Association

– Now contracted out to two Certification bodies

• Heavily regulated industry

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BSI PAS 100: 2005 Developed from

Composting Association’s Standards for Compost

To develop good operational practices

To provide end-users with minimum product quality assurances

To help develop sustainable markets

To specify in contracts with local authorities

© The Composting Association

Indicative CAPEX

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Biological treatment

Co

st

(millio

ns) Average Capex £M

Source: Strategy Unit 2002

© The Composting Association

Large scale composting Open-air turned-windrows

IN VESSEL FACILITIES

© The Composting Association

Some environmental impacts of composting

Odour Bioaerosols

Leachate and Liquor

NoiseLitter

Visual Impact

Distance tosensitivereceptors

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Designated marketsDomestic use horticulture

Land restoration

Agriculture & field horticulture

Soil manufacture and blending (Landscape)

© The Composting Association

Conclusions

• Composting has many and varied legislative drivers• Significant additional capacity is required to meet

National and Local objectives and targets• Composting is a rapidly expanding industry• There are a wide range of existing and developing

technologies• Composting has environmental impacts that can be

controlled and mitigated• Robust markets for quality composts are becoming

established

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Thank you

Further information at:

www.compost.org.uk