1 Introduction and organic waste situation

update May 2010

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Flanders is one of three regions in Belgium. As waste management is a regional authority, the three regions (Flanders, Walloon and Brussels) mainly have own laws, rules and strategies. Only the situation in Flanders (approximately 6 million inhabitants) is explained below.

VLACO vzw, the Flemish Compost Organisation , was established in 1992. At that time, Flanders had one plant for composting household waste. Yet, the quality of this compost was so bad that this waste treatment method was banned soon thereafter. By means of a strategic planning process by the Flemish Ministry of the Environment and the Flemish Public Waste Office (OVAM), it was then seen as a prerequisite to have selective collection for the production of compost. Furthermore from then on, selective collection of bio- and greenwaste and subsequent composting were strongly stimulated as a means of reducing the quantities of household waste to be disposed of.

It was consequently forecasted that the composting business would gradually grow, and hence the production of compost. It was therefore felt necessary to have a strong and efficient promotion of compost use. This gave birth to the idea for the establishment of a separate, independent organisation, which became Vlaco vzw. VLACO vzw was and is established as a co-operation between OVAM, the waste intercommunalities, private compost producers and some cities.

In order to fulfil its initial target of stimulating the use of compost efficiently, three main topics were considered necessary: marketing, quality assurance and research. From December 1998 on, VLACO vzw also covers prevention and backyard composting and these activities have been fully integrated within its structure and working programme. Activities to stimulate backyard composting that are supported or coordinated by VLACO vzw include the training of "compost teachers", post-training courses for "graduated compost teachers", distribution of relevant, technical and administrative support. Also cycle gardening is promoted. Cycle gardening is a type of gardening where you try to reuse the waste streams coming out of the garden as much as possible: with branches you can for example make a fence. The garden is designed so that less bio-waste is generated.

Since 2004 Vlaco vzw also is responsible for the quality control of all treatments of biowaste (from households and industry). The different treatments are composting, digestion and biothermic treatment. This is illustrated in the figure below.

Vlaco vzw is the reference centre in Flanders in relation to composting and digestion, both centralised and at home.

Organic waste treatment

Composting and digestion of biowaste
In Flanders, six composting plants and two anaerobic digestion plants are operational. Three of the aerobic composting plants are closed halls, the others have either boxes or tunnels. The average treatment capacity is between 20.000 and 60.000 tonnes/year. There is currently two DRANCO digestion plant operational with a capacity of 65.000 tonnes/year. A second digestion plant (MAT) is operational since 2004. The overall treatment capacity for biowaste is about 325.000 tonnes/year. Most plants are owned by public organisations. Some of these plants are run by private companies.

Green waste
Green waste is composted in open air windrows, on a hardened floor, with collection and re-use of leachate. Aeration is obtained by regular turning of the compost. In some cases, aeration tubes are installed in the floor to allow active aeration of compost piles.
About half of the plants are run by private companies, the others are run by an intercommunality. Private companies, however, have contracts with one or more intercommunalities for composting of their greenwaste. There are some 26 green waste composting plants with a treatment capacity ranging from 2.000 to 50.000 tons of input material per year. In total 520 000 tonnes of green waste are composted a year

Biological treatment of industrial waste
29 installations proceed important amounts of organic waste: 500.000 tonnes organic waste 120.000 tonnes energy crops and 431.000 tonnes manure. So in total 1.100.000 tonnes input is proceeded under quality control of Vlaco vzw.

Legal framework for the organic waste stream and the compost production

Flanders' waste policy follows the generally accepted waste hierarchy. If first strongly focusses on waste prevention. Avoiding the collection of organic waste by means of home composting is also seen as waste prevention. Then comes re-use and recycling. Waste that still has to be disposed off should preferably be incinerated with energy-recuperation, or failing that incinerated without energy-recuperation and only if no other possibility remains, the waste may be landfilled. Laws and rules have been set in order to put these principles in practise. Some examples:

Incineration ban
It is prohibited to incinerate

• selectively collected wastes that can be recycled, with the exception of some high calorific wastes for renewable energy purposes;
• household waste that is unsorted;
• industrial waste that is unsorted.

A motivated derogation is possible.

Landfill ban
It is prohibited to landfill

• unsorted household and industrial waste;
• wastes that were selectively collected for the purpose of recovery;
• combustible residues from the sorting of household waste or comparable industrial waste;
• waste pharmaceuticals.

A motivated derogation is possible.

Flanders applies the 'polluter pays' principle. Simultaneously, a price-differentiation distinguishes between the fraction for incineration or landfilling (the 'rest-fraction' or residual waste stream) and the fractions collected separately for recycling. The Flemish Government has also imposed additional environmental taxes on the residual waste stream, charging between 6 and 60€ per tonne depending on the treatment method (landfilling being the treatment method with the highest tax). The selectively collected recyclable stream is tax-free. The purpose of these taxes is to stimulate prevention and recycling, and also to finance regional environmental policy.

The quality assurance system by Vlaco vzw

The quality assurance system of Vlaco vzw is based on regular sample taking and audits with controls of input materials, process conditions and product quality. The integral chain management aims at producing high quality products, and it is a combination of different elements:

• a high level of qualitative separate collection
• control of the input streams with stringent acceptance policy
• a highly qualitative and controlled treatment process
• the use of a sound quality assurance system
• control of the output streams

The aim of this Total Quality Control-system that is used, is to guarantee traceability at any moment.

Research and marketing

The research program is investigating how and under which conditions different types of compost can be used for certain applications. There is a focus on the long-term effects of compost.

It is of no use to have selective collection and composting, if compost as the end-product, is not used efficiently. The marketing activities of Vlaco vzw are therefore considered of major relevance. Much emphasis is put on the specific characteristics of compost as a soil improving product. Compost is neither a chemical fertiliser, nor a potting soil. Besides simple advertisements, participation in commercial fairs, and many more marketing activities, it is of equal importance to give correct information on the possible use and application conditions for the different compost types. The figure below gives the market shares for Vlaco-compost.

Figure 1 Market shares of Vlaco-compost.

Contacts and sources of information

VLACO - Flemish Compost Organisation VLACO
Mrs. Elke Vandaele
Kan. De Deckerstraat 37
B-2800 Mechelen

Tel: +32 (0) 15 451 370
Fax: +32 (0) 15 218 335
EMail: info@vlaco.be; www.vlaco.be

OVAM - Flemish Public Waste Agency OVAM
Stationsstraat 110
B-2800 Mechelen
Tel. +32 (0) 15 284.284
Fax. +32 (0)15 203.275
EMail: info@ovam.be, www.ovam.be