1. Introduction and organic waste situation

update July 2010

The Spanish waste production is continuously growing, and has climbed to about 1.56 kg/inhabitant/year in 2008. Around 47% of this waste is estimated to be organic matter.
Around 15 million tons MSW are being landfilled per year (2008), whereas 6 million tons MSW(2008) are being biologically treated. (3) (ATEGRUS information in (1) and (2) in progress).

Until now, source separation of biodegradable waste has not been widely implemented. This source separated biowaste is treated mainly in dedicated composting plants, but also goes together with organic mixed waste to other treatment plants. In any case, most of the organic fraction of MWS is recovered together with other waste (mixed waste). Therefore compost quality is yet an unsolved issue. 

In 2008 from the total amount of waste generated, approximately 56% went to landfill, and as we mentioned before 47% of the landfilled waste is organic, so if we make correct separation of the residual since the houses it is possible to increase the 19% of the waste generated which goes to compost.

2. Legal framework for the organic waste stream and the compost production

Spain, following the European Union directives, has developed national and territorial plans that confront the problems of MSW and notes compost production as the main alternative for organics disposal. 
In 2008, was established Integrated National Plan for Waste- Plan Nacional Integrado de Residuos” 2008-2015 (PNIR) in order to obey the law 10/98 of Waste: Ley 10/98 de Residuos.

There are some especific objective, such us:

- Waste-to- Energy of the Organic Matter

- Waste-to- Energy (9%)

- Landfill

- Selective collections

The main goals for composting are outlined in this Plan: the development of a quality standard for compost; optimization of biological treatment waste plants efficiency; creation of incentives for research programs and promotion of compost; and promotion of voluntary agreements so to increase the demand on and use of compost. Source separation schemes for biowaste and green waste will also be enhanced. 

Reduction of organic waste going to landfill is a big challenge: in 2008 more than 7.0 million tons of organic waste has been landfilled, whereas this figure should drop to 4,2 million tons in year 2016. Therefore this Plan includes a National Strategy for reduction of biodegradable waste in landfills, to comply with European legislation. This will have to ensure that no more than 5.97 million tons biowaste are landfilled in 2009.

Spain by setting different strategies is trying to transform and develop the quality and the recycling in the agricultural systems (Anaerobic Digestions – Compost), reduction of the organic matter and isolation in the landfill (MBT), incineration and isolation of ashes. This will guide the households to separate the organic matter in a correct manner and to be more strict with the separate collection in order to achieve the targets.

The main goals for composting are outlined in this Plan: the development of a quality standard for compost; optimization of biological treatment waste plants efficiency; creation of incentives for research programs and promotion of compost; and promotion of voluntary agreements so to increase the demand on and use of compost. Source separation schemes for biowaste and green waste will also be enhanced. 

Compost quality is briefly discussed in the law on fertilizers (Real Decreto 824/2005, sobre Productos Fertilizantes) where, for the first time, different kinds of compost are established according to their quality in terms of heavy metals concentrations (class A, B and C). 

Compost is also regulated in the Spanish Law 10/1998 21 April, on waste (Ley 10/1998 21 Abril, de Residuos) and in the Royal Decree 1310/1990 29 October 1990 regarding the use of WWTP sludge in the agrarian sector (RD 1310/1990 29 Octubre). 

3. Treatment of organic waste Composting

Around the years 1998-2000 the number of composting plants in Spain has started to grow steadily. In 2006, there were at least 91 MSW composting plants working in the whole country, most of them big, centralized plants (the average capacity of composting plants in Spain is 100,000 tons/year). Only 9% of the waste entering the composting plants comes from separate collection of biowaste, most of the input material being mixed MSW. In the years 2007-2008 at least 10 more composting plants have been opened. We are also facing today a modernization of a number of composting plants, some of which have been temporary closed for this reason (see 2). 

(2)Observatorio ATEGRUS® de Plantas de Tratamiento Biológico de Residuos en España. IV Edición (2010). 
IN PROGRESS

4. Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic digestion is growing strongly in Spain. The first plant was built in A Coruña in 1999; in 2006 there were 11 plants operating, 4 were closed and were being rebuilt and at least 6 more plants were planned for the forthcoming years.Around 8 million tons of waste have entered MSW biological treatment plants in 2006, thus obtaining more than 1.2 million tons of compost (see 2). 4. Compost Quality and use 

In 2006, only around 58% of the compost produced has been sold, mainly for agricultural uses. Commercialization of the product is still an issue in Spain, mainly due to poor quality or to a bad image of compost among the agricultural sector. The new regulations of the Environment Ministry (law on fertilizers, new National Plan on Waste) and some studies are trying to palliate this problem, and effort needs to be made to ensure a good quality of compost (see 2). 
(2)Observatorio ATEGRUS® de Plantas de Tratamiento Biológico de Residuos en España. IV Edición (2010). 
IN PROGRESS

5. Sources of information

ATEGRUS - Asociación Técnica para la Gestión de Residuos y Medio Ambiente.
C/Barroeta Aldamar, 6-1º
48001 Bilbao - Spain

E-mail: formacion@ategrus.org // proyectos@ategrus.org http://www.ategrus.org 

(1) Observatorio ATEGRUS® de Vertederos Controlados de Residuos no Peligrosos, Peligrosos e Inertes en España. 

V Edición (2009) IN PROGRESS

(2) Observatorio ATEGRUS® de Plantas de Tratamiento Biológico de Residuos en España. IV Edición (2010). 

IN PROGRESS
(3) Eurostat

Some more information related (3):

•  Spanish waste production per capita, in a year:
  
  

  

   

  Spanish compost production per capita, in a year:
  
  

  

   

  Spanish waste landifilled per capita, in a year:
  

  

B. Regional reports of Andalusia and Catalunya and Majorca

Report of Andalusia
Andalusia, the southern region of Spain, is the largest and most populous region of Spain. It covers 87,597 square Km and has 7,478,432 inhabitants in its 8 provinces (Agencia Andaluza de Promoción Exterior, Junta de Andalucia­a). Statistics from the Ministry of the Economy of Andalusia show that the region relies heavily on agriculture to support its economy.

Annually, Spain losses approximately 23 tons of soil per hectare which contributes to the desertification of the lands and can reduce farm production. Therefore, it becomes imperative to replace the organic material lost every year in order to sustain agriculture already low in organic material. Compost could be the solution to a detrimental problem (Review of Compost Standards in Spain. Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP). June 2002. Oxon, UK).

Andalusia produces 3,147,394 tons of MSW per year, of which, over 70% is compostable. The current production of compost from this source is 416,441 tons per year. In 2005, the government hopes to compost 94% of the organics that comprise the MSW, which would result in the production of 600,000 tons of compost a year. The composts gained would be used to amend soils and degraded soils. The Andalusian government also plans to construct additional plants that would recuperate organics from the waste stream and produce composts (Residuos. Chapter 13 of Informe 2002. Medio Ambiente en Andalucia. Consejeri­a de Medio Ambiente. Junta Andaluci­a).

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge production continues to increase. Spain's National Plan for WWTP sludge according to the Ministry for Agriculture, Fish and Food Production, estimates that in the end of 2005 the regional production of WWTP sludge will reach 1,250,000 tons of wet material per year (Residuos. Chapter 13 of Informe 2002. Medio Ambiente en Andaluci­a. Consejeri­a de Medio Ambiente. Junta Andaluci­a).

Trimming wastes from parks, gardens and other landscaped public areas do not pose a large problem as the do two previously mentioned waste materials. The materials are rather a valuable resource that can be mixed with other feedstocks for compost production (Residuos. Chapter 13 of Informe 2002. Medio Ambiente en Andalucia. Consejería de Medio Ambiente. Junta Andalucia).

Andalusia, currently, has 17 composting plants (one more is in construction) that in 2001 turned 1,870,308 tons of waste into 322,518 tons of compost (Statistic from Consejeri­a de Medio Ambiente. Junta de Andalucia).

Project Life
Project LIFE- ENVIRONMENT, whose funds come from the European Union's LIFE initiative, the Andalusian Regional Ministry for the Environment and other co-beneficiaries, is an initiative that promotes composting in the entire region. The project addresses:

• the accumulation of green wastes in the landfills
• the erosion, desertification and loss of fertile soils
• the contamination of surface and underwater waters by commercial agricultural fertilizers.

The project demonstrates that the organic materials that are collected from human activities can be a valuable resource from technical, economical and environmental viewpoints. The project has been completed in three stages: Production of composts using a variety of feedstocks (WWTP sludge, MSW, trimming wastes), testing the composts produced in a variety of uses (gardening, landscaping, reforestation, agriculture), distribute the information to the sectors who are or could manufacture or use compost. The project has had successful results and continues to act as a center of information, as a forum for discussion and an organizing body for activities regarding compost (Residuos. Chapter 13 of Informe 2002 Medio Ambiente en Andaluci­a. Consejeria de Medio Ambiente. Junta Andalucia).

Legal Framework for organics (Andalusia)
Andalusian provinces abide by the autonomy, state and national laws. Many laws have been written or modified to include European Directives. Currently, Spain has laws regarding waste disposal and fertilizers where compost guidelines are mentioned and is further developing regulations on compost production and use.
Andalusia, does not have a law strictly dedicated to the control of compost's production and its use. However, the region has a law and two decrees that help to regulate its production and management: Law 7/1994 18 May for environmental protection (Ley 7/1994 de 18 de Mayo, de protección ambiental), Decree 283/1995 21 November that regulates waste (Decreto 283/1995 de 21 de Noviembre por el que se aprueba el reglamento de residuos), and Decree 218/1999 October 26, the territorial plan for the management of MSW in Andalusia (Decreto 218/1999 de Octubre por el que se aprueba el Plan Director Territorial de Gestión de Residuos Urbanos de Andalucia).

Contacts and sources of information:

Servicio de Residuos
Direccion General de Prevencion y Calidad Ambiental Consejeria de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucia Avda. Manuel Siurot, 50, Casa Sundheim
41013 Seville (Spain)
Tel.: 001 34 95 500 34 00
Fax.: 011 34 95 500 37 75

Mr. Jose Manuel Llamas Labella
E-mail: svr.dgpca.cma@juntadeandalucia.es

Oficina Asesoramiento y Control del Compost
EGMASA
Consejeria de Medio Ambiente
Johan G. Gutenberg s/n. I. Cartuja, 41092 Seville (Spain)
Tel. 001 34 95 504 46 97
Fax. 00134 95 504 46 10
E-mail: forolife@egmasa.es
http://www.compostandalucia.net/
 

Report of Catalunya

Catalunya is one of the three historic autonomous communities in Spain, and has 6.0 million inhabitants and 944 municipalities grouped within a total of 41 small regional units. As to waste management, Catalunya has, in the frame of the European Union and the Spanish State, their own policy, with their own laws, rules and strategies.

In the early 90s, the Catalan Department for the Environment and its administrative organisation, the Junta de Residus, implemented the selective collection (also for biowaste) as a means of reducing the amount of waste to be landfilled or incinerated.

After the wrongly experience with bad quality mixed waste compost, Catalunya has experienced a significant development of source separation and biological treatment capacity since year 1993, as a consequence of the implementation of the new regulation on waste and the development of source separation of biowaste.

Municipal waste disposal in Catalunya is still largely dependent upon landfilling. In year 2001, 63.8 % of total MSW was landfilled, mainly without any pre-treatment, while source separation and recycling averaged 17.0 % of MSW generation (3.6 million tonnes).

At the end of 2001, some 100 municipalities in Catalunya had already implemented, partially or totally, the separate collection for the food waste; the source separation of biowaste was involving, at the end of 2001, about 1.000.000 inhabitants.

In Catalunya, a part of those organic waste preferentially managed for direct use (solid & liquid manure), each year are generated the total amount of approximately 1.7 million tonnes of other organic waste (kitchen and green biowaste, sewage sludge, industrial organic waste & by products), addressed, depending on its quality, for biological waste treatment.

In the field of MSW, it is estimated an overall potential amount of about 1.2 million tonnes of organic fraction of MSW. About 61,000 t of biowaste and 27,000 t of green waste have been separately collected and treated separately in year 2001. There are still some 1.1 million tonnes of biowaste, which are not yet separate collected and remain in the restwaste. The biowaste not collected due to home composting is, although increasing, still insignificant.

Since the implementation of biowaste separation collection, several schemes where used with unequal outcomes. In some Catalan municipalities, the doorstep separate collection (for at least biowaste and restwaste) gave out both high capture & high quality of biowaste; in addition to this, it allowed to get the highest recycling rates, between 60 to 80 %.

1 Composting and anaerobic digestion of biowaste
Catalunya accounts with 13 public composting plants in operation with an overall capacity of biological treatment (included composting & anaerobic digestion) of about 290,000 tonnes biowaste per year (ranging from 3,000 to 25,000 tones biowaste per year). Actually there are 7 new composting plants under construction and also 4 of the composting plants in operation which is increasing its treatment capacity. So, in one year, Catalunya will account with an overall capacity of biological treatment of about 600,000 tonnes biowaste per year (which makes up 50% of the totality of generated biowaste).

In Catalunya there is 1 combined composting and anaerobic digestion plant for biowaste with an overall biological treatment capacity of 132,500 tonnes per year (still under trials); another combined composting and anaerobic digestion plant for biowaste with an overall biological treatment capacity of 125,000 tonnes per year is under construction. There are also planned two anaerobic digestion plants in short term.

The introduction of biowaste separate collection in Catalunya has resulted in the production of compost with a quality which is visibly superior to the mixed MSW compost of previous years.
There are few experiences with green waste composting, because green waste is usually co-composted with biowaste.

Catalunya also has 4 public composting plants in operation with an overall capacity of biological treatment of about 75,000 tonnes sewage sludge per year. Actually there is 1 new composting plants under construction, and 10 public composting plants more are planned.
We can also found about 10 small private composting plants, most of them with low-tech features, treating specially manure, green waste, sludge and organic waste from food industry.

Mechanical-Biological Pre-treatment
Although current legislation don't allow to dispose waste to landfilling without a pre-treatment, there is no usual to pre-treat waste before landfilling. So, up to now, Mechanical-Biological-Treatment plants are no present in Catalunya.

Only the above two mentioned combined composting and anaerobic digestion plant, are allowed to treat, in a separately full way, biowaste and mixed municipal waste. Depending on the quality of the material produced, it could be used as a "MSW-compost" for land reclamation or should be landfilled.

2 Legal framework for the organic waste stream and the compost production

In Catalunya's waste policy, waste prevention is preferred, followed by re-use and recycling in order to minimise waste disposal quantities. Waste that still has to be disposed off should preferably be incinerated with energy-recovery and only if no other possibility remains, the waste may be landfilled.

In Catalunya, the Law 6/93, 15 July, regulating wastes, passed in 1993, establishes the basis for the separate collection of biowaste. According to this law, municipalities of more than 5,000 inhabitants must carry out separate collection of biowaste. This imperative, it turns out, affects 158 municipalities, that is, 17% of Catalan municipalities, which comprise a population of 5.3 million inhabitants, or nearly 90% of Catalunya's population. The remaining municipalities, those with populations under 5,000 inhabitants, are not required to comply, although they may participate - and many are doing so - on a voluntary basis.

In addition to this, the last Municipal Waste Management Programme in Catalunya (2001-2006) sets objectives for separate collection for each of the fractions of MSW. Regarding biowaste, the objective for separate collection is 40% - of total biowaste produced - by the end of 2003, and 55% by the end of 2006.

The Municipal Waste Management Programme in Catalunya (2001-2006) also foresees to set a tax on landfilling, in short term, as a way to encourage the separate collection and recycling.
In Catalunya, the Junta de Residus had drawn up a Decree on the quality of compost, but it has not yet been approved.

At Spanish level, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food has published the Ordinance, 28 May 1998, on fertilising and related products, in which some general characteristics on compost quality are defined, but it also affects those products to be registered. Presently, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food and the Ministry for the Environment are revising this ordinance.

In addition to this, the Ministry for the Environment has prepared a first draft on Compost legislation, laying down standardised, nationwide rules concerning the production, marketing and labelling of compost as a product, in order to prepare the adaptation to the new forthcoming European Union directives.

3 Compost quality assurance system

No quality assurance system is on place just yet. Nonetheless, it seems essential to appeal to a quality assurance system in the general strategy for the promotion of biological treatment and marketing of quality composted products.

4 Contacts and sources of information

Junta de Residus, C/ Doctor Roux 80, E-08017 Barcelona, Catalunya (Spain),
Tel: +34 (93) 567.33.00, Fax: +34 (93) 567.32.91,
Internet: http://junres.gencat.net/
http://www.gencat.net/mediamb/

Agancia Metropolitana de Residus, Carrer 62 Num. 16-18, Edifici B, Zona Franca, E-08040 Barcelona, Catalunya (Spain), Tel: +34 (93) 223.51.51, Fax: +34 (93) 223.41.86,
Internet: http://www.ema-amb.com/

Francesc Giró i Fontanals
Email: fgiro@gencat.cat

Report of Majorca

update June 2010

Majorca is one of the Balearic Islands in Spain, has an extension of about 3.600 squared km and a population of around 800.000 inhabitants. The economy of the Balearic Islands is highly dependant on the service industry, which represents more than 80% of the gross national product. The most important economic sector is tourism and some studies have estimated that the tourist contribution to the GNP is 51%. So tourism has a very positive incidence/effect over the economy of our island but, at the same time, it produces a very important pressure over the environment, as we'll see a bit later on.

Waste management starts with selective collection of the 5.000 paper, glass and light packaging containers distributed all around Majorca, 78 Green Parks, which are special municipal areas and special producers attached to programmes such as hotels, stores and so on.

Majorca is divided in three zones and there's a different company selectively collecting waste in each of them.
And what they do is to take each kind of waste (paper, glass, packaging and municipal waste in mass) to 5 transfer stations. Basically, what happens there is that waste is pressed in order to optimise transport to the treatment plants.

Thus, there's a significant variation of waste production throughout the year and it seems to be quite fair to assume that production is intimately related to the floating population.
Urban waste has been increasing over the last years. Right now we are producing around 500.000 tones of municipal waste per year that are being incinerated with energy recovery or landfilled.
That means a production of .625 tones per person if we DO NOT consider floating population.

In general terms, last year 300.000 tones where incinerated, 226.000 tones landfilled and 150.000 tones recycled.
Among the recycled tones there were 28.000 tones of paper, 20.000 tones of glass, 10.000 tones of light packages and 135.000 tones of organic waste. By organic waste we mean organic waste from selective collection, and also sludge from wastewater treatment plants.

Composting and anaerobic digestion of biowaste

In Majorca there are 3 small composting plants that treat sewage sludge. Each of them is able to treat 8.000 tones per year and the total amount of compost production from these plants is 9.000 tones per year.
On the other hand there is a small composting plant, which only treats organic waste coming from selective collection.
This plant is located near the most tourist municipality of the island and organic waste that arrives at the plant is coming basically from hotels placed in the municipality. Its capacity is 2.000 tones per year and it produces around 1.000 tones of compost per year.
Also in the Environmental Technologies Park, an industrial complex situated near the capital of Mallorca, we find the two major constructions:

• a methanisation plant
• a composting plant

The methanisation plant occupies an area of 18.000 m2 and transforms organic waste and sewage sludge into compost and biogas in the absence of oxygen. It has a capacity of 32.000 tones per year and produces 2,5 million m3 per year.
The phases of the methanisation process are:

• First the homogenisation in pulpers
• Wet Pre-treatment for impurities removal
• Anaerobic Digestion with biogas energetic recovery
• Dehydration
• Composting
• Water Treatment

The composting plant turns organic waste from selective collection, sludge from wastewater treatment plants, gardening debris and woods and also digestate from anaerobic digestion into compost.
It has a pre-treatment unit and a storage area, but the main activity, aerobic fermentation, is carried out in rotary drums, fermented material is taken into dynamic tunnels and finally, the removal of impurities takes place and there is a refinement of compost phase.
This plant produces 27.750 tones per year of compost.

Compost quality assurance system

Since 30.4.2001, when it was approved the Measures and Environmental Monitoring Program for the installations contemplate in the Director Plan for the Urban waste Management in the island of Mallorca, the Consell de Mallorca, as the owner and responsible for those installations, has been in charge of the execution and putting in practice of the Program.

In his part. 7.a) products control its mentioned: "For the control of the composting plants, the following parameters will be determined on a representative sample of compost produced:
humidity, pH, conductivity, organic matter, granulometry, percentage of impurities, organic nitrogen, ammoniacal and nitrates, maturity degree, relation CN, heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn), test of germination and pathogens (Salmonella and Escherichia coli).

This control will have a quarterly frequency in the installation of zone 1 and twice a year frequency in the rest of the plants."

Contacts and sources of information
Direcció Insular de Gestió de Residus
Departament de Medi Ambient - Consell de Mallorca
General Riera, 111 - 07010 Palma de Mallorca - Illes Balears
Telf. +34(971) 173933
Internet: www.gestioderesidus.net
Ana Maria Bistuer
abistuer@conselldemallorca.net