What Happens to Waste
Composting
This briefing note has been issued to clarify the position on the collection of municipal waste for composting and its use on land.
Background
The Government strongly supports the composting of waste, this is a vital component of meeting the Waste Strategy targets for recycling and composting and targets under the Landfill Directive to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste.
The Waste Strategy made clear that the Government sees a need for a significant expansion in capacity for the composting of waste over the next decade. It is a key objective of Government to increase the amount of the organic waste stream which is composted.
Under Waste Strategy 2000, statutory targets for recycling and composting were set for local authorities in England for 2003/04 and 2005/06. England has successfully met and exceeded its 17% target for 2003/04 and our current recycling rates for 2004/05 indicate that we are on target to meet the 25% target of household waste to be recycled or composted by 2005/06.
As part of the review of England's Waste Strategy, the Government is proposing to increase those statutory targets to 40% by 2010, 45% by 2015 and 50% by 2020. Under the EU Landfill Directive, the UK also has to meet targets for the reduction of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill.
The Government is considering a far more ambitious target for the amount of waste to be diverted from landfill. By 2020 the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill must be reduced to 75% of the amount produced in 1995.
A major acceleration in materials reclamation facility and composting infrastructure, and the development of mechanical biological treatment (MBT) of residual wastes are seen as vital tools for achieving those targets.
Compost can be used as a soil conditioner, to improve soil structure and to enhance its biological activity, and a growing medium for the horticultural industry. The use of compost reduces harmful emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from landfills, it reduces the need for scare natural resources such as peat and it returns organic matter to the soil.
Sources of municipal waste for composting
The majority (92% in 1998) of municipal waste comprised green wastes collected from civic amenity sites or local authority parks and gardens, with only 7% of organic municipal wastes collected at the kerbside.
Use of compost from "mixed" waste
Where catering or household waste contains meat or other products derived from animals then, although it may be composted, it may not, currently, be used on pasture land.
Regulation 1774/2002 (the EU Animal By-Products Regulation) has applied since 1 May 2003. It permits the treatment in approved composting and biogas plants of catering and other low-risk (Category 3) animal by-products. There is a home composting exemption for situations where the catering waste is generated, composted and then used all on the same premises ie. once brought onto a site in the form of food, the waste material does not then leave the site. This exemption may also apply to schools, flats, hospitals, prisons etc. Please see the animal by-products composting section of the website for further guidance on this Regulation.
Separate collection of organic waste
The Government considers that local authorities have a key role to play in encouraging composting. An increasing number are setting up centralised composting schemes from separate household collections and from civic amenity sites.
The Government supports the collection of source separated waste and encourages local authorities to continue collection of kitchen waste.
Contacting Defra
If you want need information on this subject, you can contact us by email at waste.strategy@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
Page last modified:
11 May 2006
Page published: 5 February 2003