Composting and Anaerobic Digestion
EPA Waste Data Release, 14 March 2018
Reference Year 2016
This release reports information on composting and anaerobic digestion in 2016 at commercial facilities that accepted biodegradable waste generated in Ireland. The figures do not include (i) home composting estimates (ii) facilities where only waste generated on-site was treated on-site and (iii) waste imported to Ireland for treatment.
The quantity of biodegradable municipal waste sent for composting and anaerobic digestion increased by 19 per cent between 2015 and 2016 (from 194 ktonnes to 231 ktonnes). The food waste regulations (commercial and household) have had a positive impact on increasing the quantity of municipal waste accepted for composting/anaerobic digestion.
Municipal waste accepted for composting/anaerobic digestion, 2005 - 2016
Key Trends
- Composting was the dominant treatment activity (79 per cent of tonnage accepted).
- The quantity of waste generated in Ireland and accepted for treatment at composting and anaerobic digestion plants in Ireland and abroad increased from 308 ktonnes in 2015 to 353 ktonnes in 2016 (15 per cent increase).
- Municipal waste (kitchen and canteen food waste, garden and park green waste, edible oils & fats) was main source of waste accepted (65 per cent of total accepted).
- The quantity of municipal waste accepted for treatment has risen from 194 ktonnes in 2015 to 231 ktonnes in 2016 (19 per cent increase).
- The quantity of brown bin waste accepted for treatment rose from 143 ktonnes in 2015 to 174 ktonnes in 2016 (22 per cent increase) reflecting implementation of the Commercial and Household Food Waste Regulations. Waste collectors reported that approx. 640,000 households were provided with an organic bin kerbside collection service in 2016 compared to 572,000 in 2015.
- Commercial brown bin waste is primarily food waste, while household brown bins can contain garden waste as well as food waste, depending on the waste collector.
- There is an increasing trend of brown bin waste collected in Ireland being exported to Northern Ireland for recovery (4 ktonnes in 2013, 31 ktonnes in 2015 and 56 ktonnes in 2016. In 2016, 32 per cent of the total quantity of brown bin waste accepted at composting and anaerobic digestion facilities was accepted at Northern Ireland facilities.
- There was a five-fold increase in edible oil and fats waste accepted for treatment between 2015 (1 ktonne) and 2016 (5 ktonnes).
- There was an increase in wastes from agriculture and food preparation and processing industries from 52 ktonnes in 2015 to 85 ktonnes in 2016.
- Products of composting and anaerobic digestion were used in horticulture, landscaping and agricultural land treatment.
Biostabilised organic fines
In 2016, five composting facilities biostabilised organic fines arising from the mechanical treatment of residual waste. Biostabilised residual waste has been treated to achieve an EPA approved biodegradability stability standard prior to use as landfill cover or alternative agreed use. There was a significant increase in the quantity of organic fines accepted for biostabilisation between 2013 (50 ktonnes) and 2014 (100 ktonnes but the quantity accepted has levelled out somewhat with 119 ktonnes accepted in 2015 and 122 ktonnes accepted in 2016.
Table 1 Waste facilities surveyed, 2016
Open in Excel: Table 1 Facilities surveyed, 2016 (XLS 12KB)
| Facility Name | Authorisation number | Composting activity in 2016 | Anaerobic Digestion activity in 2016 | Biostabilisation of organic fines in 2016 | Location |
| Acorn Recycling Limited | W0249 | Yes | No | No | Co. Tipperary |
| Athchursáil Árann Teoranta | COMP-19 | Yes | No | No | Co. Galway |
| Ballyshannon Recycling Limited | WFP-WX-15-0084-02 | No | Yes | No | Co. Wexford |
| Bio-Energy and Organic Fertiliser Services (BEOFS) | WFP–KK–14–0010-02 | No | Yes | No | Co. Kilkenny |
| Bord Na Móna PLC Drehid Landfill | W0201 | Yes | No | Yes | Co. Kildare |
| Bord na Móna PLC Kilberry Compost Facility | W0198 | Yes | No | No | Co. Kildare |
| Bruscar Bhearna Teoranta t/a Barna Waste | W0106 | Yes | No | No | Co. Galway |
| Clare County Council Central Waste Management Facility | W0109 | Yes | No | No | Co. Clare |
| Cleary Compost and Shredding Limited | WFP-KE-10-0064-01 | Yes | No | No | Co. Kildare |
| Cremin’s Farm Compost Limited | WFP-LK-2012-23A-R2 | Yes | No | No | Co. Limerick |
| CTO Environmental Solutions Limited | WFP-CK-09-0018-03 | Yes | No | No | Co. Cork |
| Enrich Environmental Limited | P1013 | Yes | No | Yes | Co. Meath |
| Enviro Grind Limited | WFP-DL-17-004-05 | Yes | No | No | Co. Donegal |
| Kings Tree Services Limited t/a Greenking Composting Limited | W0218 | Yes | No | No | Co. Wicklow |
| Limerick City and County Council Mungret Facility | R02188 | Yes | No | No | Co. Limerick |
| Louth County Council Dundalk Landfill | W0034 | Yes | No | No | Co. Louth |
| McDonnell Farms Biogas Limited t/a GreenGas AD Plant | WFP/L/2017/50/R4/T1 | No | Yes | No | Co. Limerick |
| McGill Environmental Systems (Ireland) Limited – Glenville Facility | W0180 | No | No | Yes | Co. Cork |
| Methanogen Limited (Kilgreany AD Facility) | WFP-WCC-14-02-0001 | No | Yes | No | Co. Waterford |
| Michael Dolan t/a Johnstown Recycling | WFP-WM-2015-001 | Yes | No | No | Co. Westmeath |
| Miltown Composting Systems Limited | W0270 | No | No | Yes | Co. Tipperary |
| Molaisin Compost Limited | W0245 | Yes | No | No | Co. Waterford |
| M & T Plant Hire Limited | WFP-WX-17-0129-01 | Yes | No | No | Co. Wexford |
| OD Agri Ltd t/a OD Recycling | WFP-TS-10-0002-05 | No | No | Yes | Co. Tipperary |
| Ormonde Organics | W0287 | Yes | Yes | No | Co. Waterford |
| Padraig Thornton Waste Disposal Limited t/a Thorntons Recycling | W0195 | Yes | No | No | Co. Meath |
| Paul Mooney | WFP-KE-12-0065-01 | Yes | No | No | Co. Kildare |
| Sligo County Council – Young’s Quarry | R1474 | Yes | No | No | Co. Sligo |
| Waddock Composting Facility Limited | P1009 | Yes | No | No | Co. Carlow |
| Granville Eco Park Limited | P0413/12A | No | Yes | No | Northern Ireland |
| Natural World Products Limited – Glenside | P0341/10A | Yes | No | No | Northern Ireland |
| Natural World Products Limited – Keady | WML 03/04 | Yes | No | No | Northern Ireland |
| Greenville Energy Limited | WML 26/27 | No | Yes | No | Northern Ireland |
Table 2 Waste types accepted for composting & anaerobic digestion, 2013 to 2016
Open in Excel: Table 2 Waste types accepted, 2013 to 2016 (XLS 12KB)
| List of Waste entry chapter sub-heading | Waste types accepted for composting and anaerobic digestion | Tonnes accepted in 2013 | Tonnes accepted in 2014 | Tonnes accepted in 2015 | Tonnes accepted in 2016 | ||
| 02 01 | Wastes from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, forestry, hunting and fishing | 896 | 2,258 | 1,296 | 573 | ||
| 02 02 | Wastes from the preparation and processing of meat, fish and other foods of animal origin | 5,065 | 5,737 | 16,319 | 41,071 | ||
| 02 03 | Wastes from fruit, vegetables, cereals, edible oils, cocoa, coffee, tea and tobacco preparation and processing; conserve production; yeast and yeast extract production, molasses preparation and fermentation. | 655 | 1,340 | 421 | 1,110 | ||
| 02 05 | Wastes from the dairy products industry | 8,736 | 8,513 | 8,384 | 13,497 | ||
| 02 06 | Wastes from the baking and confectionery industry | 824 | 1,569 | 226 | 465 | ||
| 02 07 | Wastes from the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (except, coffee, tea and cocoa) | 26,388 | 26,074 | 24,849 | 27,895 | ||
| 03 03 | Wastes from pulp, paper and cardboard production and processing | 237 | 28 | 1,926 | 627 | ||
| 04 02 | Wastes from the textile industry | 163 | 148 | 159 | |||
| 06 10 | Wastes from the manufacture, formulation, supply and use (MFSU) of nitrogen chemicals, nitrogen chemical processes and fertiliser manufacture | 628 | 622 | 914 | 884 | ||
| 07 05 | Wastes from MFSU of pharmaceuticals | 2,946 | 2,709 | 4,045 | 4,537 | ||
| 07 06 | Wastes from the MFSU of fats, grease, soaps, detergents, disinfectants and cosmetics | 228 | 195 | 96 | 213 | ||
| 10 01 | Wastes from power stations and other combustion plants | 0 | 43 | 67 | 495 | ||
| 10 13 | Waste from manufacture of cement, lime and plaster and articles and products made from them | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| 15 01 | Packaging (including separately collected municipal packaging wastes) | 352 | 191 | 317 | 499 | ||
| 16 03 | Off-specification batches and unused products | 7 | 131 | 21 | 0 | ||
| 16 10 | Aqueous liquid waste | 0 | 0 | 76 | |||
| 17 02 | Construction and demolition waste wood | 149 | 243 | 429 | 627 | ||
| 17 08 | Gypsum waste | 139 | 239 | 1,165 | |||
| 19 05 | Wastes from aerobic treatment of waste | 2,252 | 1,356 | 1,606 | 0 | ||
| 19 08 | Wastes from waste water treatment plants not otherwise specified | 55,196 | 46,874 | 47,927 | 20,042 | ||
| 19 09 | Wastes from the preparation of water intended for human consumption or water for industrial use | 3,158 | 2,637 | 399 | 2,109 | ||
| 19 12 | Wastes from mechanical treatment of waste (wood waste) | 3,920 | 5,919 | 3,131 | 3,140 | ||
| 20 01 | Municipal wastes (separately collected fractions) except 15 01 | 121,114 | 134,643 | 147,468 | 179,731 | ||
| 20 02 | Garden and park wastes (including cemetery waste) | 35,393 | 45,738 | 46,586 | 50,885 | ||
| 20 03 (Note 1) | Other municipal wastes | 2,157 | 2,974 | 1,829 | 3,549 | ||
| Total | 270,603 | 290,033 | 308,437 | 353,349 | |||
| Note 1: Includes List of Waste entries 20 03 04 (septic tank sludge) and 20 03 06 (waste from sewage cleaning) which are excluded from municipal waste reporting as per Eurostat guidance. | |||||||
Table 3 Organic fines accepted for biostabilisation, 2013 to 2016
Open in Excel: Table 3 Organic fines accepted for biostabilisation, 2013 to 2016 (XLS 9KB)
| List of Waste entry chapter sub-heading | Description | Tonnes accepted 2013 | Tonnes accepted 2014 | Tonnes accepted 2015 | Tonnes accepted 2016 |
| 19 12 | Organic fines from mechanical treatment of waste | 50,000 | 100,000 | 119,000 | 122,000 |
