EUROPEAN COMPOST NETWORK
ECN e.V.

Network for Organic Resources and Biological Treatment

ECN E-BULLETIN No. 8_2024

22 AUGUST 2024

CORE E-Magazine I No. 1 I Interreg Europe

ECN publishes E-Magazine on EU Project ‘Composting in rural environments’

ECN is pleased to announce the release of the CORE project's first ever e-magazine. This publication serves as a comprehensive introduction to the project's partners, celebrating their invaluable contributions and achievements throughout the project's lifecycle.

The magazine begins with an introduction to each of our partners, highlighting their expertise and the crucial role they have played in driving the project forward.

In addition to partner highlights, the e-magazine delves into the project's progress, providing a detailed summary of all the thematic seminars held to date.

Starting with the kick-off meeting and first thematic seminar in Ciudad Real, Spain, which focused on 'Individual, Community and Open Windrow Composting' and 'Industrial Composting and Anaerobic Digestion'.

The next major event was a study visit to Bolzano, Italy, where the topics "Prevention of organic waste in rural areas" and "Regulation of composting in rural areas" were discussed. Finally, the most recent seminar was held in Mechelen, Belgium, bringing together experts to share knowledge and experience on the topics of "Training master composters and other volunteers" and "Involving citizens and organisations in composting in the countryside".

Click here to read the entire magazine.
Further information about the good practices submitted by the 8 project partners, news and events can be accessed on the CORE website. Please follow #COREinterreg on X and access our videos on our youtube channel here.

European Commission I Political guidelines 2024-2029

More competitiveness, less environment protection

On 18 July 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, presented her Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029to the European Parliament.

For her second term, von der Leyen will focus on ‘a new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness’with the following priorities:

Make business easier and deepen our Single Market;
Build a Clean Industrial Deal to decarbonise and bring down energy prices;
Put research and innovation at the heart of our economy;
Boost productivity with digital tech diffusion;
Invest massively in our sustainable competitiveness.

The climate and environmental agendas have been put on the backburner due to internal political discussions, but von der Leyen insisted: 'We must and will stay the course on all our goals, including those set out in the European Green Deal.’

Hungarian EU Presidency I July-December

Priorities on implementing Circular Economy

Hungary took over the Presidency of the Council on 1 July. In its programme, the Hungarian Presidency outlines its priorities for the coming months.

The Hungarian Presidency’s priority in the Environmental Council is to discuss the implementation of the objectives defined in the European Green Deal and the “Fit for 55” package, as well as to promote the transition to a green and climate-neutral, circular economy. The Presidency highlighted to encourage ‘reuse and developing a system of quality waste collection’.

EU’s Official Journal I Nature Restoration Law

Biodiversity: Nature Restoration Law published

On 29 July, the Nature Restoration Law was published in the EU's Official Journal and will enter into force on August, 28.

The Nature Restauration Law sets legally binding targets to restore 20% of the EU's land and sea by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050. In relation to agriculture the law emphasises that ‘sustainable, resilient and biodiverse agricultural ecosystems are needed to provide safe, sustainable, nutritious and affordable food.’ A general commitment is made to improve biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems, to be measured through a selection of indicators such as the grassland butterfly index, the organic carbon stock in mineral soils of arable land or the proportion of agricultural land with high diversity landscape features.

EU countries will be expected to submit national restoration plans to the Commission within two years of the regulation coming into force (i.e. by mid-2026), setting out how they will meet the targets. They will also be required to monitor and report on their progress.

Announcements

Organics Recycling Conference I 2-4 October 2024

ECN is going to Canada

Organics Recycling is a must, as is Soil health!

Organics recycling is essential for maintaining healthy soils and sustainable agriculture. ECN is proud to announce its participation in the upcoming Organics Recycling Conference in Canada. The event will feature Dr. Stefanie Siebert, ECN's Executive Director, as a speaker. Dr. Siebert will discuss the critical topics of biowaste management and the markets for quality compost and digestate in Europe.

Sessions will include:

Regulatory & Policy Directions
Organics Recycling Infrastructure Developments
Research Discoveries
Processing Advances, Collection Methods, Technology
Compost, Digestate and Biochar Markets
Compostable Claims and Products
Putting Organics Recycling to Work

More information here.

ICAW 2025 I 4-10 May 2025

ICAW 2025 Poster Contest

Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost! is the ICAW theme for 2025. This theme was chosen with the goal of highlighting composting in all kinds of communities at any scale – from the backyard home composter to community composters, to large-scale facilities to all those who recognize the many benefits of using compost on our soils. The ICAW 2025 will take place from 4-10 May 2025.

Each year, the International Compost Awareness Week Committee holds a poster contest to pick a design for the annual poster. There is always a new theme for ICAW, which is highlighted on the poster as well as that year’s dates. The poster contest is open to anyone from anywhere in the world age 14 or older. It will be held from September 1st to November 1st. The prize for winning the contest is $500. Check out the full requirements for the poster here.

To find out more about ICAW 2025 and to stay up to date with the latest news, click here.

Interreg Europe I CORE I 12-14 September 2024

4th Thematic seminar on ‘Good use and alternative use of compost and digestate based products’

From 12-14 September the 4th Thematic Seminar of the Interreg Europe project ‘Composting in Rural Environments’ will take place in Potsdam (Brandenburg).

Organised by the German Project Partner the Brandenburg State Office of Environment (Landesamt für Umwelt) the thematic seminar will focus on presenting good practices for the use of compost and digestate products and study visits to composting and anaerobic digestion plants. Please find the agenda here.

Further information about good practices from the 8 project partners, news and events can be accessed on the CORE website. Please follow #COREinterreg on X and access our videos on our youtube channel here.

III Estonian Zero Waste Conference I Tartu (EE) I 2-3 October 2024

Circular systems are a reality

The 3rd Estonian ZW Conference is scheduled for October 2nd and 3rd, Tartu, Estonia. This year the conference's focus is on the already existing systemic zero waste solutions. The host city of this year’s conference is Tartu, that carries the title of the European Capital of Culture 2024 that has also put considerable effort into environmentally friendly event management.

ECN’s member, Prof Mait Kriipsalu, from the Life Science University of Tartu , will lead the workshop on ‘How to make separate collection of biowaste work?’ on 2nd October.

Separate collection of biodegradable waste is mandatory in the EU. The task is seemingly simple – separate the biodegradables at the source, take them to a treatment facility by a separate truck, turn it into compost and reuse the nutrients found in the compost. Yet it does not work in many local governments. During the workshop, each link in the chain of collection and treatment of biodegradable waste will be reviewed and discussed how source separation affects the quality of compost and limits or promotes the recycling of organic matter.

Registration is open until there are places or until September 25th! Check out the agenda and list of speakers here.

Compost Congress I Wieselburg I 6-7 November 2024

2nd Austrian Compost Congress

The congress is organized by the Compost and Biogas Association of Austria. Once again, you can look forward to engaging presentations and discussions on the following topics:

What’s happening with laws and standards in the compost sector?
What’s driving the industry? (Compost quality)
What role does compost play as a carbon sink?
What is the value of compost? (Practical reports)

Click here for more information!

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.