Giavini - Capture rates of source separated organics a comparison across EU - 2013

CAPTURE RATES OF SOURCE SEPARATED ORGANICS: A COMPARISON ACROSS EU, WITH A FOCUS ON METROPOLITAN AREAS M. Giavini*, C. Garaffa**, S. Cantoni ***, E. Favoino**** * ARS ambiente, Via Carlo Noè 45, 21013 Gallarate (VA), Italy ** Novamont, Via Fauser 8, 28100 Novara (NO), Italy *** AMSA, Via Olgettina 25, 20132 Milan, Italy **** Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza, Viale Cavriga 3, 20052 Monza (MB), Italy TOPIC: ORGANIC WASTE Introduction Intensive residential food waste collection is increasingly gaining a major role in integrated waste management schemes, as its diversion from landfill is one of the highest priorities in the EU legislation. In Mediterranean and Scandinavian countries, and partly in the UK, kerbside collection of food waste is kept separate from garden waste collection, while in central Europe (e.g. Germany, Netherlands, Belgium) the two streams are collected commingled. A comparative assessment is presented in this study with a focus on large metropolitan areas, namely Milan (IT), Munich (DE), Bristol (UK), Barcelona (ES).

Methods and Data, Description of Case Study, etc.

This study is based on official data, made available through government reports : WRAP for UK, ISPRA for IT, ARC for ES, VHE for DE. Furthermore, direct field surveys have been carried out for specific case studies. in particular Milan (Italy) have been investigated more deeply; here residential food waste collection with an intensive kerbside sheme is being rolled out for 1.300.000 inhabitants by the end of 2013.

Results Looking at averages, the Catalan and Italian residential food waste collection scheme is achieving the highest food waste captures. The overall capture of organics is more or less the same as in Germany, with an important remark: in Italy green waste collection is usually not performed kerbside (which could lead to an additional capture of 60-80 kg/inhabitant.year) but relies on bring systems.

Average capture food waste + garden waste Food waste only Garden waste only Germany 109 Italy 117 79 38 UK 86 Catalunya 127 111 16 Table 1 - Capture rates, in kg/inhabitant.year. Average of areas where residential food waste collection schemes are widely implemented

Regarding the metropolitan areas, preliminary results from the city of Milan show an average capture rate of 78 kg/inh of food waste only. Preliminary analyses aimed at evaluating the quality of organic waste show good results.

Populati Green Only Inhabitant on + food food s density waste waste

Only green waste

Overall Recycling rate

Year and data source 2010, GENESIS Die Statistischen Ämter des Munchen 1.378.176 4.439 50,9 41,57% Bundes und der Länder 2013, AMSA Milan 2013 – Milan 1.324.110 7.176 78,3 78 0,3 Approx. 50% residential food waste area Bristol 428.100 3.639 67,5 37,49% 2011, WRAP UK Barcelona 1.615.448 15.970 82,9 76,8 6,1 37,28% 2011, ARC Catalunya Table 2 - Capture rates of organics and recycling rate in selected metropolitan areas Other valuable information may be retrieved from composition of residual waste. In this respect, “intensive bespoke food waste collection”, when supported through user-friendly tools, seems to ensure lowest percentages of organics in residual, hence the possibility to remarkably reduce frequency for collection of residual waste (which in turn is one of the most important cost-saving tools) Conclusions and Findings Different EU member states have tackled the issue of organic waste collection by implementing different schemes. Available data show that intensive schemes specifically focusing on the collection of residential food waste, prove to be very effective even in big metropolitan areas such as the city of Milan. Green waste collection can be considered as an additional option, although higher priority should be given to waste prevention (e.g. home composting).