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Project title

Outlets for Compost from Municipal Waste

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Environmental & Resource Management Ltd.

Lead Applicant

Paul vanderWerf

Project Abstract

Composting is one way of meeting targets for reducingthe biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) fraction ofwaste going to landfill. This waste fraction must bereduced by 65% as set out in European Community (EC)Council Directive (1999/31/EC) (EC 1999) andi?Changing Our Waysi? (DELG 1998). Compostingtechnologies will make up part of the infrastructure forbiologically treating up to a target of 300000 t ofbiodegradable waste annually.In the National Waste Database (EPA 1998)approximately 33% of household and 15% ofcommercial waste were estimated to be organic.Essentially this represents the putrescible fraction ofbiodegradable waste (PBMW) which is a subset ofBMW. PBMW includes food scraps and green wastes.These wastes have often been called the organic fractionof municipal household or commercial waste or theorganic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW).As part of this document a National Strategy to developmarket (for profit) and non-market (not-for-profit) outletswas devised by reviewing and synthesising existingsuccessful models of compost distribution anddeveloping and synthesising relevant baseline Irishinformation. Most simply an outlet is a venue in whichcompost can be used for the benefit of soil and plants. Anoutlet can be as simple as using compost from a homecomposter (non-market outlet) or as sophisticated asselling a blended (with other constituents) baggedproduct (market outlet).It is recognised that compost produced from PBMW willhave to compete with existing organic amendments (e.g.peat manure etc.) and/or new market or non-marketoutlets will have to be developed. In addition compostwill have to meet legal standards (e.g. re inorganiccontaminants such as metals) and market-drivenstandards (e.g. particle size nutrients salinity etc.) inorder to secure markets.1.1 Goal and ObjectivesThe key goal of this document was to formulate aNational strategy to develop adequate stable and reliablePBMW-compost market and non-market outlets.The objectives pursued in achieving the above goalincluded:i reviewing existing information regarding PBMWcompost use;i reviewing the status and future status of PBMWcomposting in Ireland;i ascertaining existing outlets for organic amendmentsin Ireland;i identifying potential new outlets for distributingPBMW compost.1.2 TasksThe main tasks undertaken included:i a literature review;i surveys of local authorities private hauliersproducers of organic amendments and sectoralorganisations;i development and application of a marketing modelfor PBMW compost;i development of Strategy to Develop AdequateReliable and Stable Outlets for PBMW Compost.

Grant Approved

�76,888.99

Research Hub

Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

Waste and Resources Management

Start Date

01/11/2000

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a