Structural planning required (1990-2024) for succesful management of organic treatment of biowaste
About this good practice
Selecting biowastes and transforming them into products for market uptake has been carefully planned step-by-step and succesfully implemented through aiming at the production of quality composts and digestates:
- In OVAM's waste management plan 1991-1995 OVAM introduced the separate collection of biowaste and garden waste: composting plants for residual waste were obliged to close because of the bad quality of the compost.
- Collection bins and the investments for the composting plants were subsidized by the Flemish government.
- Intermunicipalities were obliged to monitor the quality of the biowaste at the moment of collection and afterwards by sorting analysis.
- Vlaco was created in 1992 as a compost quality expertise organisation. The Flemish government chose for a public private partnership between the intermunicipalities responsable for the separate collection and treatment of biowaste and garden waste, together with the private composting and nowadays the digestion plants, to share the costs and building up experience on closing the biological circle.
A better quality of the separate collected biowaste is still a hot issue for getting a continuously good quality compost and is achieved through recurring information & awareness raising campaigns.
Resources needed
- 5 year biowaste policy plans essential for build-up of the treatment sites, integrated quality assurance (QA) and markets
- Legal framework for separate biowaste collection and QA-system
- Environmental quality standards
- Financing by Flemish government, intermunicipalities and private plants
Evidence of success
- A carefully built up and functioning pathway (separate collection-treatment-QA-marketing) in Flanders
- Vlaco has worked since 1992 with all stakeholders to exchange knowledge and implement policies in Flanders
- Cooperation with European federations (ECN) and projects.
- Since 1998 Vlaco has also become a “composting at home” experience center.
- Since 2012 Vlaco also works together with the Flemish government on prevention of edible food losses at home.
Potential for learning or transfer
POSITIVE
- An integrated biowaste management plan forms the right basis for bringing all stakeholders together for reaching qualitative end products and marketing them.
- The example of Vlaco shows that partnership of governments and treatment plants creates a synergy that strengthens technical knowledge, product quality and marketing.
- As there is no producer responsibility for biowaste (contrary to e.g. the packaging sector) the public private partnership is essential for fundint Vlaco's functioning: a stable contribution system is important.
- The contribution of the intermunicipalities and treatment plants is based on the inhabitants and on the amount of treated biowaste, which varies seasonally.
NEGATIVE
- A competitive soil improving and fertilizer market, and changing legislation in both in and around Flanders.
CHALLENGE
- varying technical, legal and economic challenges need to be tackled via Vlaco-staffed/-lead working and discussion groups