COMPOSTING. 1-2 % C org 14 % 48 % < 1 % C org 34 % Total Mediterr. How much organic carbon is stored in European soils? % Area Coverage of Topsoils

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1 RESEARCH NEEDS IN Florian Amlinger, f. With inputs from: I. Körner (DE), P. Lechner (AT), M. Steiner (AT), H. Insam (AT), St. Siebert (DE), B. Kehres (DE), H. Lystad (NO), W. Devliegher (BE), K. Schleiß (CH), J. Barth (DE)

2 How much organic carbon is stored in European soils? Total Mediterr. % Area Coverage of Topsoils < 1 % C org 1-2 % C org 14 % 48 % 75 % 34 %

3 Biodegradable waste in EU15 industrial waste 7% sludge bio & green waste 7% Ca. 100 Mio t Bio/Green Waste in EU25 crop residues 25% animal waste 61% 1.6 billion tonnes are produced in the EU each year

4 Existing EU Framework Waste-Framework Directive 75/442 EC... waste is disposed of without endangering human health and without harming the environment Annex IIB: R3: Recycling/reclamation of organic substances which are not used as solvents (including composting and other biological transformation processes) R10: Land treatment resulting in benefit to agriculture or ecological improvement Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC Diversion targets for biodegradable waste from landfills 25% until % until % until 2016

5 Thematic Strategy on Prevention and Recycling of Waste MORE COMPOST and energy recovered from waste As waste moves away from landfill move into the conversion of waste into energy and into compost Main motivation: decrease of greenhouse gas emissions [40 to over 100 Mt CO 2 equ. per year] 2 Mt CO 2 equ. = composting of Municipal organic waste EU25 No best option for the management of biowaste is proposed Strategies for the management for this waste should be determined by the Member States using life-cycle thinking. Guidelines on applying life cycle thinking to the management of biowaste

6 Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste Compost quality criteria will be adopted under the proposed end-of-waste provision for the Waste Framework Directive 2008 subject to the entry into force of the revised Waste Framework Directive Commission will propose that biological treatment of waste be brought under the scope of the IPPC Directive when it is revised in The review process of the Strategy will in particular address the progress in management of biowaste and assess the need for additional measures.

7 Treatment Options for Organic Waste Organic Waste Seperately Collected & Waste Water Treatment Organic Fraction in Residual Waste households public greens industry agriculture forestry. kitchen garden park MBT INC urban & industrial sludges liquid BIOGAS dry/solid COMPOST Waste MB stabilised compost Landfill Landfill

8 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Achievment of Diversion Targets for Biodegradable Waste Countries with full scale separate collection and composting strategies Germany Austria 65% 50% 25% Denmark Flanders Netherlands Luxembourg Sweden France Italy Finland UK 2016/ / /10 Ireland Portugal Spain Greece

9 Mixed Waste Composting??? The quality of the source materials determines the quality of the final product!

10 6,0 Quality Improvement of Compost as a Result of Source Separation - a Clear Picture Cd [mg kg -1 dm] 250 Cr [mg kg -1 dm] 600 Cu [mg kg -1 dm] 5, ,0 3,0 2,0 1, ,0 BWC Sludge Compost MSW/MBT- C 0 BWC Sludge Compost MSW/MBT- C 0 BWC Sludge Compost MSW/MBT- C 3,0 2,5 2,0 1,5 1,0 0,5 0,0 BWC Hg [mg kg -1 dm] Sludge Compost MSW/MBT- C biowaste BWC Ni [mg kg -1 dm] sludge Sludge Compost MSW MSW/MBT- C BWC Pb [mg kg -1 dm] Sludge Compost MSW/MBT- C

11 Research Topics - Composting (I) Process Related Topics

12 Life Cycle of Treatment Options Reserach for elaborating a Guidance on life cycle thinking which option for the treatment of biodegradable waste? Separate collection of organic household waste + composting + land application + anaerobic digestion + land application + anaerobic digestion + composting + land application + anaerobic digestion + drying + combustion (Energy recovery only) Mixed waste collection only + splitting + MBT + disposal of stabilised org. fraction MBT (anaerobic + aerobic) + land application (? restricted areas?) Residual / high calorific value fraction + / - incineration and slag/ash disposal RDF/ solid recovered fuel / co-incineration/ EfW plants Criteria: * Energy balance * Climate change/co 2 Equ. Balance/ * C squestration in compost and soil * Costs * Meeting Landfill diversion targets * Meeting precautionary soil requirements * Nutrient cycle and savings

13 The potential contribution of compost and soils to tackle climate change (1) Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions were about 11% of all greenhouse gas emissions of the EU in ) The absorption potential of agricultural soils could contribute with -8% between 2008 and 2012 from a 1990 base. The 6th Conference Of the Parties (COP 6, Bonn 2001) considered agricultural soils suitable as sinks for the storage of carbon. tentative list of main measures (WG agriculture ECCP): Mitigation potential of Nitrous Oxide emissions from agricultural soils Sequestration potential of agricultural soils Mitigation potential of Carbon Dioxide by providing renewable raw materials for the energy/industrial sector Mitigation potential of Methane emissions from enteric fermentation and Mitigation potential of Methane and Nitrous Oxide emissions from manure 1) Final reports of the WG Agriculture, European Climate Change Programme, 2001)

14 The potential contribution of compost and soils to tackle climate change (2) Questions to be answered in order to achieve a broader view and a balanced / unbiased in compost application systems Climate change... how to estimate Carbon sequestration in compost and soil o The focus ought to shifts from whether something simply does or does not act as a net sequester of carbon, to how much carbon is emitted (and how much kept in the soil) over time under different practices and scenarios. Water savings in irrigation systems Replacemet of synthetic fertilisers Replacement of peat (C-sink habitat protection) Energy savings due to improved workability of soils Savings of pesticides in compost amended cropping systems Reduced N 2 O emissions from compostamended compared to other fertilisation systems (slurry, digestate, mineral N...) Secondary prevention effects... how to estimate mid term change in consumption / waste prevention and recycling behaviour due to an increase in environmental awareness when participating in biowaste recycling campaigns

15 Composting - Process Optimisation (1) Material saving process conditions Objective Save as much as possible Carbon and Nitrogen in humus formation and thus minimise losses during decomposition by optimising: Feedstock composition (availability of C- and N-sources, pore space) Process parameters (aeration, humidity, temperature regime) Defining optimum duration/termination of process We need a better understanding of the process of HUMIFICATION... Process requirements to increase humic substance synthesis New parameters and methods to identify humus quality and process parameters which induce humus build-up E.g. Thermogravimetry * [Near] Infrared Spectrometry *...

16 Composting - Process Optimisation (2) Impact of basic composting systems on Process & Compost QUALITY With / Without forced aeration In-vessel systems / semi-permeable membranes / with and without turning Quick / Intensive (6-weeks) composting system ( daily turning = bacterial ) against extensive rotting systems ( 3 turnings = fungal ) Vermi-Composting Biodynamic Preparations / Effective Microorganisms and similar inoculants used in commercialised and broadly used systems Criteria: * Humification and humus quality * C- / N- conservation and binding * Energy balance * Greenhouse gas emissions * CO 2 Equ. Balance * Microbial community succession and efficiency * Odour emissions * Hygienisation indicators in different composting stages * P-availability

17 Composting - Process Optimisation (3) Development and evaluation of methods describing Stability or Biodegradability as Actual biodegradability before und during composting process Setting process parameters (aeration / watering / temperature regime) Stable enough to be extracted from In-Vessel to open windrow area as a matter of odour controll? Assessing the potential of emitting VOCs Potential biodegradability... how to estimate Further behaviour of Compost-Organic Matter and Nitrogen release / fixation in the environment of o intermediate storage o Final use (agriculture, landscaping, potting soil, blends) o Disposal of MBT-Material landfill sites] These are items to be addressed and supported in pre-normative research of Project HORIZONTAL [e.g. respiration methods, infrared spectometry, thermogravimetry etc.]

18 Composting - Process Optimisation (4) Consequences of anaerobic pre-treatment Effect of AD pretreatment (e.g. temperature, retention time) on aerobic degradability to optimise the combined anaerobic-aerobic treatment The problem of additional CH 4 and N 2 O evolution after extraction from the fermenter Humification maturation process and nitrogen conservation / binding VOC and odour emissions in post anaerobic storage Conditionning of starting mixture Dewatering Bulking agents C/N-ratio etc. Reduction of pathogens and hygienic status in mesophilic anaerobic fermentation systems Plant desease suppression effects of final product

19 Sludge Composting or combined AD Decay and Transformation of Organic Pollutants during Composting and Anaerobic Processes Compounds of interest Adsorbable organic halogenated compounds (AOX) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) Nonylphenol and nonylphenol-ethoxylates (NP, NPEO), Linear alkyl benzene sulphonates (LAS) Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) Polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDE; flame retardants) Endocrine disrupters... and more? Impact of mixing agents and process parameters to be investigated Preceeding waste water treatment (liming/anaerobic/aerobic...) Temperature, moisture, ph Bulking agents and additives (C-availability of C-sources eg rice huscs/sawdust etc.) Mechanical agitation and aeration / Duration and phasing of the entire process

20 Composting Hygienic / Health Aspects Effect of different composting techniques on the behaviour / reduction of Plant, human and animal pathogens Newly ammended Annex VI of ABP Regulation (EC) n 1774/2001 Guidance on the alternative process validation systems to be set up and assessed by Member States Evaluation of new indicator organisms for the process control [Enterococci faecali; E. coli; limit value = 1000 CFU / g] Evaluation of new screening methods for quick detection of plant, animal and human pathogens e.g. Oligonucleotide Microarray Investigation on process parameters influencing positively the plant disease suppressing (anti-phytopathogenic) effect of composts.

21 Composting Biodegradable Plastics Behaviour and impact of Biodegradable Plastics Degradation and composting behaviour under a wide range of different composting systems Technology impacts (mechanical sorting, identification of synthetic and Bio-Plastics) Final product quality and potential accumulation of synthetic fractions on soil functions KEY QUESTION: How can we increase the proportion of pure natural sources (starch, polylactate etc.) in Bio- Plastics products from 50 % to > 90 %? How can we facilitate the step-wise substitution of oil derived by Bio-Plastics?

22 etection of microbial communities with specific sks for the decomposition and maturation process.g. through OLIGONUCLEOTIDE MICROARRAY Improved process development and definition of process conditions source materials and conditioning, water and air management, temperature regime etc.... based on a better knowledge and identification of the main microbial players and communities... in order to optimise specific qualitative process goals e.g.: 1. Maximum transformation of the organic matter (C) and organic nitrogen (N) into highly polymerised humic substances 2. Minimising nitrogen losses (as NH 3 or N 2 O) 3. Adapting process conditions for drying of materials (supporting drought-resistant organisms) Quick detection of plant, animal and human pathogens

23 Tools for the Systematic Introduction of Biowaste Management and Composting into Practice Development of standardised methods to introduce the entire biowaste management cycle and treatment process effectively into new regions To avoid failures; to speed up the introduction process; to be economic, to be situation adapted In urban and rural areas For EU-countries with developing potential, for newlyindustrialized and developing countries worldwide Summarise the knowledge Forming information networks Elaboration of guidelines Listing of most common problems Demonstration and training activities Development of cheap and easy methods for quality control Creation of scenario modelling tools

24 In conclusion...a short SWOT Analysis Strenght Good knowledge about pros and cons of existing composting systems adapted to manifold structural, climatic and material conditions Weakness Insufficient dissemination of this experience to virgin areas Quality assessment with respect to organic matter and humus characterisation (process and product evaluation) Better demonstration and more integrative models of long term life cycle aspects and social implications and secondary effects of biowaste mangement/composting options Opportunities Development of new methods and parameters to indicate process and product quality (humus, pathogens, decomposition efficiency) Regional markets for compost through better information on the recyling process Threats Energy from waste and biomass boom... makes us forget about the overall benefits we gain from recycling of clean biomasses into compost soil improver with the highest HUMUS reproduction index

25 Research Topics - Composting (II) Product Related Topics

26 Product and application realated issues to be addressed in further research (1) C and N pool evaluation Short, mid and long term C and N (im)mobilisation dynamics in soil induced by compost fertilisation systems To what carbon pool of the soil contributes fresh and mature compost application? How much of compost C could be accounted for mid term C sequestration as a basis for CO2 equivalent credits of compost utilisation Under what conditions can we expect a higher or lower N-mineralistion in compost amended soils Methods for solving the above questions All methods available to analyse the potential biodegradability, mineralisation or immobilisation potential are rough approximations and still not reflecting the reality in a satisfactory way An in depth evaluation of existing and innovative methods to estimate C/N dynamics would be of major importance (eg: (Near) Infrared spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetry, resprrometrc methods, fractonised analysis, incubation methods, hot water soluable C and N fraction, etc.)

27 Product and application realated issues to be addressed in further research (2) Further research questions Potential hygienic problems resulting from the use of fresh compost in agriculture (compost that has undergone the thermal hygienisation/sanitisation phase but is not fully stabilised due to a shortened maturation phase) Impacts of the one-time use of higher amounts of composts (100 to 400 t/ha) in land reclamation of degraded sites (old mining areas, landfill surface restoration etc.) important parameters are leaching processes, N-mineralisation, N 2 O emission, heavy metal availability. The above mentioned questions should be evaluated in comparison with digestate Systematic research on the biological (microbiological) interactions and other conditions on the suppressive effects on plant diseases due to compost fertilisation. European data pool of the existing detailed application recommendations for the various application ranges of compost products, compost blends under different soil, climate and land management conditions. Only in very few Member States systematic research is done in cooperation with the organisations in the users sectors (e.g. landscaping). The knowledge of this information is an ultimate precondition for a beneficial use of compost without negative effects to soils.

28 Product and application realated issues to be addressed in further research (3) Network of existing long-term plot trials to investigate key questions in a comparative and ressource efficient way A research network should be establushed in order to exchange samples and methods in investigating the various effects of t compost applications systems under different site conditions (climate, soil, cropping systems). This network should include all experimental plot trials already existing in Europe and should integrate new ones in order to cover essential site specific (climatic/soil) parameters. The key questions to be addressed would be Mid and long term behaviour of inorganic and organic pollutants: Due to the usually low quantity of pollutants and limited amount of material applied to land (following GAP) accumulation rates are generally low. If source materials as well as the gained exogenous organic materials (including manure) are of well defined quality (limit values) it would be fairly enough to monitor changes on pilot scale where pure modelling would still leave considerable uncertainties. In this way (as mentioned below) basic data taking into account the most important management and site conditions can be considered.

29 Product and application realated issues to be addressed in further research (4) Network of existing long-term plot trials to investigate key questions in a comparative and ressource efficient way (continued) Collecting these data may be useful also for scientific purposes, to improve conceptual models of substance flows in agricultural systems. A number of farming systems maybe monitored through EU and such a monitoring system may help to improve GAP (good agricultural practice) There exists research based evidence that the input of humified organic matter (compost) increases the sorption or fixation capacity for heavy metals in soil. So monitoring of heavy metal availability/solubility/mobilisation within pilot schemes with plots fertilised with compost, and - in comparison with digestate would be an important tool for further evaluation of potential impacts due to the input of contaminants by fertilisation systems. Also persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and their breakdown/solubility behaviour which may be found in those EOMs could be considered to be monitored in this way. But currently this may rather be a matter of research than of regular monitoring system. It would be important to evaluate the compost effects on the soil system against standard fertilisation systems such as slurry, digestate, mineral fertilisation.