EUROPEAN COMPOST NETWORK
ECN e.V.

Network for Organic Resources and Biological Treatment

ECN E-BULLETIN No. 4_2024

25 April 2024

Annual Meeting I 18 April 2024

Annual Meeting followed by a joined workshop with FER-PLAY EU

The European Composting Network (ECN) recently concluded its annual meeting in Brussels on 18 April. The meeting took place during the week of the World Circular Economy Forum in Brussels.

We were pleased to host the meeting in conjunction with a seminar co-organised with CIC as part of the EU FER-PLAY project, focusing on 'Alternative Fertilisers for Circularity & Soil Health'. A total of 35 participants attended the meeting.

ECN is pleased to welcome David WIlken from the German Quality Assurance Organisation (BGK) as a new board member, as well as Irmgard Leifert from the German Humus and Substrate Association (VHE) and Susana Lopes from LIPOR (PT) for being re-elected.

Currently, the ECN is represented by a total of nine board members from national biowaste organisations: Irmgard Leifert (Treasurer of ECN, VHE, DE), Arjen Brinkmann (BVOR, NL), Massimo Centemero (Vice-Chair of ECN, CIC, IT), David Wilken (BGK, DE), Kristel Vandenbroek (Chair of ECN, Vlaco, BE), Tony Breton (Cré, IE), Susana Lopes (Lipor, PT) , Jens Måge (Avfall Norge, NO),), and Horst Müller (KBVÖ, AT / not present).

FAO UN Environment Programme I Press Release

Food Waste Index Report 2024 published

Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity. Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss, and pollution. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report published on 27 March 2024.

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP, provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. It provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste.

In 2022 there were 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60 per cent happened at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 per cent and retail 12 per cent.

Since 2021, there’s been a strengthening of the data infrastructure with more studies tracking food waste. Globally, the number of data points at the household level almost doubled. Nevertheless, many low- and middle-income countries continue to lack adequate systems for tracking progress to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.

Only four G20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, the USA) and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030. Canada and Saudi Arabia have suitable household estimates, with Brazil’s estimate expected late 2024. In this context, the report serves as a practical guide for countries to consistently measure and report food waste.

According to recent data, food loss and waste generates 8-10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – almost 5 times that of the aviation sector – and significant biodiversity loss by taking up the equivalent of almost a third of the world’s agricultural land. The toll of both food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at roughly USD 1 trillion.

Urban areas are expected to particularly benefit from efforts to strengthen food waste reduction and circularity. Rural areas generally waste less food, with greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock, and home composting as likely explanations.

As of 2022, only 21 countries have included food loss and/or waste reduction in their national climate plans (NDCs). The 2025 NDCs revision process provides a key opportunity to raise climate ambition by integrating food loss and waste. The Food Waste Index Report underscores the urgency.

The full press release and the UN report can be accessed here.

JRC I European Soil Data Centre | News 164

Land suitability in temperate Europe

Land suitability assessment is used in conjunction with geographic information systems to spatially model diverse aspects of soil functions, having the potential to facilitate a sustainable increase in agricultural production, reduce land degradation, or aid humans in adapting to climate change. Compared to the existing datasets, this study provides a new higher resolution geospatial assessment of the agricultural land suitability for several crops and land uses in the temperate continental climate across Europe. This dataset includes land suitability maps for several crops and land uses (14 crops , 7 fruit trees, 3 land-use types) in the temperate continental climate of Europe (2.7 million Km2). To model the land suitability we used geospatial data depicting seventeen eco-pedological indicators (e.g. soil texture, pH, porosity, temperature, precipitation, slope).

The data is available here.

European Parliament | Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive

Parliament vote lowers the ambition of Soil Monitoring Law, Council position foreseen in June

Lawmakers in the European Parliament voted down obligations on sustainable soil management practices, and deleted recommendations on sustainable principles to follow, including circular fertilization.

This outcome undermines the initial ambition of the proposed law, which included an obligation for Member States to define SSM practices and gradually implement them, without setting a specific timeframe. The inclusion of a digital toolbox for best practice sharing based on specific pedo-climatic contexts is still worth-mentioning. The Council is still discussing the proposal, and will most likely adopt its position in June.

Take a look at the European Parliament’s adopted negotiating mandate.

European Parliament | Certification Framework for Carbon Removals

Members of the Parliament officially adopt a governance framework for carbon certification

The new voluntary framework to certify carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products is one step away from formal adoption, waiting for Member States final approval.

The certification framework will cover different types of carbon units, laying down different rules according to their permanence and impacts. The text includes quality criteria and a governance framework on the issuance of credits. Certifiable units include agricultural activities generating soil emission reductions (e.g. N20) and temporary carbon removals through carbon farming. Specific certification methodologies for the different activities will be developed under the Expert Group on Carbon Removals.

European Commission | Bioeconomy

EU Commission releases action plan to boost biotech and biomanufacturing in the Europe

With the communication on “Building the future with nature”, the EU is proposing a series of targeted actions addressing challenges and barriers hindering the competitiveness of the biotech and manufacturing sector.

The Communication highlights the not fully-exploited potential of organic waste, as well as opportunities of green technologies in the agricultural sector with the production of bio-stimulants, bio-pesticides and bio-fertilisers. The plan lays down eight main action to strengthen the EU framework. A review of the 2018 Bioeconomy strategy is foreseen for the end of 2025.

European Parliament Research Service

Research study tackles EU’s food system dependencies, including fertilisers

The study, commissioned by the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament, shows the vulnerabilities affecting the EU food value chain, analyzing existing policy tools that can lead to less dependency on external inputs, and providing recommendations to make it more resilient.

Announcements

#LIFEBIOBEST webinar I 27 May 2024

Regulatory and technical perspectives driving progress in bio waste treatment

Don't miss out on the next #LIFEBIOBEST webinar on 27 May 2024, as we will uncover practical insights for advancing bio-waste treatment practices!

We’ll delve into the technical aspects (from low-tech composting towards complex systems) as well as the best regulatory perspectives to enhance bio-waste treatment technologies in various regional and municipal settings. More specifically, we will look in detail at:

The various possible technological approaches to optimised treatment of bio-waste;
Quality assurance schemes for compost and digestate production;
Leveraging regulatory tools for economic viability and product quality of biowaste treatment.

More information and registration

Réseau Compost Plus I Grenoble I 11-12 June 2024

L'action territoriale en faveur du retour au sol de qualité des biodéchets, jusqu'où aller?

Les Journées nationales « Territoires & Biodéchets » se dérouleront les 11 et 12 Juin à Grenoble. Organisées par le réseau Compostplus et Grenoble Alpes Métropole en partenariat avec l’ADEME, ces deux journées ont l’ambition de rassembler l’ensemble de la filière biodéchets. De nombreuses collectivités territoriales et experts de la filière viendront témoigner de leurs bonnes pratiques et de leurs retours d’expériences.
Informations ici.

Public Consultation I Deadline: 17 May 2024

Updated rules on the use of certain fertilising materials from livestock manure (RENURE)

In 2023, the Commission launched an evaluation of Directive 91/676/EEC with the aim of assessing, among others, whether that Directive sufficiently promotes the recycling of nutrients from various sources, including processed manure, and technological developments in manure processing technologies resulting in RENURE fertilisers. Until the evaluation of Directive 91/676/EEC is finalised, it is necessary to provide an interim solution for Member States to authorise farmers to use RENURE fertilisers above the amount set out in Annex III, point 2, under certain conditions.Therefore, the Commission has published a public consultation amending the EU Nitrate Directive for the use of so-called RENURE fertilisers.

Feedback is now being sought until 17 May in a public consultation on the Nitrates Directive.

2nd Austrian Compost Congress I Deadline 31 July 2024

Call for Papers!

The Austrian Compost and Biogas Association is once again organising the popular Austrian compost industry get-together this year. It will take place from 6 to 7 November 2024.
This year's two-day congress will once again provide an opportunity for attendees to present their scientific and research findings, innovations and new products to the Austrian compost scene.

Current challenges and key topics will be

What is happening with laws and standards in the compost sector?
What is moving the industry? (compost quality)
What contribution does compost make as a carbon store?
What is compost worth? (Practical reports)

They invite you to present your project results, solution approaches, practical examples, ideas and visions on the specified topics at Congress. Send them your presentation proposals by 31 July 2024. For more information, visit their homepage.

Events

ICAW 2024 I 05 -11 May 2024

COMPOST... Nature’s Climate Champion!

The 2024 International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) theme is truly a collaborative and international effort. Again this year, we teamed up with the International Compost Alliance (ICA), which includes compost associations from around the world, to select: COMPOST... Nature’s Climate Champion!
Please celebrate the International Compost Awareness Week with us and please start to plan your event now!

S.O.S Save Organics in Soil

This international initiative S.O.S. SOIL – Save Organics in Soil, led by the European Compost Network (ECN) and the Italian Composting and Biogas Association (CIC), aims to highlight the importance of soil organic matter to encourage policy makers to develop instruments to move Europe towards implementing sustainable, climate proof soil management practices.

Sign the manifesto 'Save Organigs in Soil' here.