Wales Environment Trust

There has been a legislative decision by the National Assembly for Wales to set a municipal waste composting target of 15% to be achieved by 2010. This will require the composting of 230,000 –320,000 tonnes of source segregated biodegradable municipal waste. If a reduction in weight of 50% is assumed to take place during the composting process, then markets of 115,000 to 160,000 tonnes per annum of composted product will have to be developed by 2010.

Research has indicated that currently only approximately 33,000 tonnes of waste is being composted. Thus, an 8 or 9 fold increase is required by 2010.

Markets are evaluated with regard to their size, accessibility and value and the expectation that their full potential will be realised.

2003/4 survey data indicates that around 105,000 tonnes was composted during this period in Wales ( All green waste), thus a 3 – 4 fold increase in capacity is required by 2010.

The challenges in both the development of compost capacity, and market development for the resultant composts, have stimulated much debate and discussion in waste recycling circles, both within Wales and the UK as a whole.

Wales Environment Trust is engaged in assisting Wales to achieving these targets with the following initiatives: –

Published report ‘Municipal Solid Waste Compost Market Development' March 2002 studying market potential for compost products within Wales.

Development of Regional Kitchen Waste Demonstration Facilities. This is an initiative to establish 3 regional facilities, addressing both the issues of composting kitchen waste and the subsequent development of markets for resultant compost. These projects involve multi partner participation with funding being sourced from WAG, Objective 1 and partner contributions to deliver the capital expenditure, and R&D costs to implement these projects. Proposals are based on the formation of two in-vessel compost facilities (North and SE Wales) processing kitchen wastes, and the construction of a polishing blending plant (SW Wales) for the upgrading of raw compost products into growing media for horticultural and other specialist outlets.

Funding and planning approval is currently being secured, with construction of the first facility due to start in Summer 2005.

Specialist Compost Advice. The appointment of a Compost Co-ordinator has facilitated the availability of specialist advice on composting to be available to Local Authorities and other interested parties involved in the industry. This has included the linkage into the Farming Connect grant scheme available to farmers who wish to diversify into composting of green waste. Contact Paul Roberts for further information.

Email: info@walesenvtrust.org.uk