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EPA report on outlets for compost produced from municipal waste.

European law requires that the amount of organic waste going to landfill must be reduced from approximately one million tonnes to 350,000 tonnes by 2016. A large portion of household and commercial waste is organic, and this waste can be converted into compost. A programme to develop outlets for this compost has been set out in a report released today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Organic waste is a significant cause of many problems associated with landfilling including leachate generation (seepage), landfill and greenhouse gas production, odours, vermin, birds etc. The diversion of organic waste away from landfills will serve to significantly reduce these problems. Composting will be one method used to biologically treat a target of 300,000 tonnes of organic waste annually.

Promotion and education will be necessary to ensure that high quality compost is produced and that consumers will understand that it can be used in a productive way. The report reviews existing outlets for such compost and identifies new market and non-market outlets. It concludes that stable markets are required if people are to begin and continue composting. Use for horticulture, crops, land remediation, etc., should create sufficient demand and the production of compost should be stabilised if it is given some value and if production meets demand.

The report was completed under the EPA's Environmental Research Technological Development and Innovation Programme which is funded by the Irish government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The programme is implemented by the EPA on behalf of the Department of Environment and Local Government. The total budget provision for the programme is EUR35m over the seven year duration. There are currently approximately 190 projects funded under the programme ranging from Doctoral Scholarships to large EUR1m+ capability development projects.

The Research & Development pages of the EPA website (www.epa.ie/r_d ) contains further information and reports arising from the programme. Entitled "Assessment and Evaluation of outlets for compost produced from municipal waste", the report is available from EPA Publications (01-2680100) at a cost of EUR13.
This report is also available on the Cre website here.