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EUROPEAN COMPOST NETWORK ECN e.V.
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Network for Organic Resources and Biological Treatment
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ECN E-BULLETIN No. 1_2025
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ECN-QAS I Certification I 9 January 2024
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Successful certification of Vlaco's quality assurance scheme
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For the fifth time, Vlaco has successfully passed the conformity assessment according to the European Quality Assurance Scheme for Compost and Digestate (ECN-QAS).
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The audit of the Quality Assurance Scheme (QAS) took place in Mechelen on 9 October. The ECN Quality Manager, Stefanie Siebert, audited the Vlaco QAS against the requirements of EN 17065 for certification bodies, products, processes and services. The audit was accompanied by the quality team of the Italian Composting and Biogas Association (CIC). In addition to the documentation, the ECN-QAS audit includes an audit of a biological treatment plant.
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Wim Vanden Auweele (Quality Manager of Vlaco), Stefanie Siebert, Quality Manager of ECN, Alberto Confalonieri, Jenny Campagnol, Vera Brambilla (Quality team of CIC), Silke Goetry (QESH-assistant Ecoson Materials), Fillip De Keyzer (Manager Compofert NV)
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The certification team had the opportunity to follow the Vlaco audit on the largest anaerobic digestion plant in Flanders, 'ECOSON'. The plant is authorised to treat 450,000 tonnes of bio-waste per year (3,100 tonnes/day). The input material is bio-waste from the food/feed processing industry and bio-based industry, supermarkets, catering facilities.
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The plant provides three processing units:
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- Anaerobic digestion of biowaste
- Biothermal drying of manure and biowaste materials
- De-packaging of super market waste & production of biomix for anaerobic digestion
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The plant has been awarded the Vlaco certificate for 4 fertiliser products: (thickened) digestate liquid fraction, digestate solid fraction, dried digestate and ammonia concentrate.
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In 2023, Vlaco represents a total of 106 members, of which 88 are treatment plants in the Flemish region. Together, these treatment plants represent a treatment of 601,000 tonnes of biowaste by green composting + 402,000 tonnes of biowaste by VFG composting (end products are green compost and VFG compost). A total of 1,656,000 tonnes of bio-waste was treated by anaerobic digestion and biothermal drying (mainly bio-waste from the food and feed processing industry and distribution sector), together with manure (785,000 tonnes) and energy crops (129,000 tonnes).
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Evolution of the separate collection and treatment of organic-biological material in Vlaco QAS.
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DATIpilot BRIT-EU Project I First consortium meeting on 16 January 2025
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ECN and TUHH start working on an European BioResource Information Tool
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The project “Integrated information and management tool for analysing the potential of biowaste in the European Union” funded by the DATIpilot programme of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) aims at identifying detailed key data on municipal biowaste management on the organisational level of the collection. The ECN and the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) are the project partners.
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The focus of the project is to assess key performance indicators (KPIs), for example the quantity and composition of collected bio-waste and residual waste, and to identify their influencing aspects, for example the collection model. Only the combination of these elements allows the identification of the most effective practices for bio-waste collection and management.
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On 16 January 2025, the consortium met in person at the Hamburg University of Technology to prepare a detailed plan for the project and to prepare stakeholder engagement activities.
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On 29 January 2025, at 10:00 a.m., the ECN will host an online-workshop for its members to present the project's objectives and activities. ECN members received an invitation including the workshop agenda via e-mail. The registration for the event can be accessed following the link: BRIT-EU Webinar registration
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EU Horizon FertiCovery | Kick-off meeting 23 January 2025
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Joint project on best available techniques on recovering fertilising products from secondary materials
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The project “Best available techniques to recover or recycle fertilising products from secondary raw materials” is funded under the HORIZON 2024 “Zero pollution” programme. The project aims to analyse best available technologies for recycling fertilisers from secondary materials. It advises policymakers and stakeholders on alternative fertilising products, ensuring balanced nitrogen and phosphorus flows and promoting soil health and structure within ecological limits at regional and local levels.
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The ECN is included in several work packages and will produce a policy brief on best available techniques to aid decisions on legislation impacting the production and use of fertilising products as well as recommendations to practitioners supporting the practical implementation of technologies and resulting products on their land. Furthermore, the ECN will engage in an international stakeholder network.
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The project starts in January 2025 and will end in December 2027. It is coordinated by the Dutch Biomass Technology Group BV (BTG). Among the ECN, project partners are the Spanish Fundación CARTIF, the Greek Ethnicon Metsovion Polytechnion, the Italian Universita degli studi di Torino, the Polish Politechnika Wroclawska, the European Biogas Association and Greenovate! Europe.
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The project held its kick-off meeting on 23 January in Enschede (The Netherlands). During the meeting, all project partners were gathered to introduce themselves and discuss the work to be carried out over the next 3 years. This enabled everyone to get a better overview of the project and to get the project off to a flying start. To stay up to date with the next developments of the project and future events, follow the Linkedin page here and join the Open Forum of Stakeholders here.
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Kick-off meeting with project partners
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Site visit at Twence manure valorisation plant in Zenderen
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EU CAP Helpdesk & DG AGRI I Workshop report
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Assessing the contribution of carbon farming to CAP climate objectives
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More than seventy participants, representing Managing Authorities, the European Commission, and National CAP Networks, as well as evaluators, researchers, carbon certification experts, and other evaluation stakeholders, gathered on 24 and 25 June in Nantes, France, to share experiences on how to better assess carbon farming’s contribution to CAP climate objectives. The Workshop was organised by the EU CAP Network, with the support of the European Evaluation Helpdesk for the CAP, and hosted by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.
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The main focus of the Workshop was to share Member States' experiences in evaluating carbon storage and sequestration. The Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) and the Evaluation Helpdesk introduced the general framework for assessing the contribution of the CAP to carbon farming, clarified various concepts, expanded on the regulatory background, and shared an overview of relevant CAP interventions and farm practices.
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Through multiple group and plenary discussions during the Workshop, several challenges were identified, such as using and quantifying baselines, selecting the right methodological approach, and how to assess causality and/or estimating the net effects of the CAP. Furthermore, the innovative potential of farmers was highlighted as an important aspect. Results from the interactive group discussions also emphasised that coherence with other EU and national policies and private initiatives should also be considered. Efforts to promote carbon farming are not limited to the CAP; other EU funds and national policies are significantly and increasingly focusing on reducing GHG emissions, especially through actions in the fields of agriculture and forestry. Private sector certification schemes, that sometimes cover the whole agri-food chain, constitute incentives for farmers to adopt carbon farming techniques, and could be aligned with the EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework. Participants concluded that the CAP will play a crucial role in achieving climate neutrality, and therefore evaluations related to carbon farming should not be limited to green architecture. Although the first step would be to identify interventions and farm practices that increase soil organic carbon, other interventions should also be assessed, such as innovation, training and non-green investments. The report summarises the main outcomes of the Good Practice Workshop ‘Assessing the contribution of carbon farming to CAP climate objectives’.
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Save the Date I 5 June 2025
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ECN's Annual Meeting 2025
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ECN welcomes Isabel Martin as new Communication Officer
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Isabel Martin has joined the ECN as its new Communication Officer as of 1 January 2025. During her bachelor applied cognitive and media sciences Isabel worked as a communication assistant for ECN. She will support ECN's project work with a focus on data collection and evaluation for the BRIT-EU project 'Integrated information and management tool for analysing the potential of biowaste in the European Union' and the communication work for the Interreg European project 'Composting in Rural Environments'. Alongside her work at ECN, she is studying for her Masters in Computer Science.
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ECN Policy Brief | Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
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Council of the European Union adopts revised regulation on 16 December 2024
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The ECN prepared a Policy Brief on the adopted version for its members. The adopted packaging and packaging waste regulation can be accessed here.
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The Policy Brief will be sent out to ECN members via e-mail.
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New CEO of Cré Tony Brenton
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ECN member Cré has announced changes to its leadership team. Taking the role of CEO is Tony Breton, the former chair and current board member of ECN. Tony has spent the past 25 years actively working in the fields of organic recycling and separate collection of biowaste. First as Communications Manager at the UK Composting Association before becoming a consultant where amongst other things he worked with ECN member Novamont to promote separate collection in the UK and Ireland. For the last three years he was chair of Cré and this role has now been taken by longstanding Cré board member Tim Duggan of Enrich.
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FER-PLAY I 18-19 February 2025
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Opportunities and challenges ahead
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Circular fertilisers help us protect our soils and ecosystems, decrease EU dependence on fertiliser imports, and improve resource efficiency. However, there is a lack of understanding on the full socio-economic and environmental benefits of circular fertilisers. The adaptation of the existing technical and legal framework as well as targeted support to innovation on nutrient recycling, will facilitate the broader use and production of circular fertilisers across Europe. Circular fertiliser producers, farmers, civil society organisations, academia and policymakers will get together to discuss the state-of-play and the future of circular fertilisers in Europe.
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Click here for the full program and more information.
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Fachverband Biogas I 26 - 27 February 2025
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Day of Anaerobic Digestion of Waste
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The Waste Fermentation Day 2025 will focus on alternative hygiene measures for the utilisation of biowaste, the use of industrial waste materials and the material use of screen overflows. After the technical presentations on the first day, there will be an opportunity to visit the DBFZ's test facilities and laboratories. On the second day, in addition to the technical presentations, the programme will also include practical contributions, innovative solutions and synergies as well as a brief presentation of the exhibitors. The third day will conclude with the traditional educational trip to two practical facilities in the region.
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Click here for more information.
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The European Carbon Farming Summit, hosted by Project Credible, is rapidly emerging as a leading meeting point for scientists, policymakers, economic actors, and interested members of the carbon farming and soil management communities. The event aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and the multiplication of climate actions across the EU, fostering credible carbon farming practices, certification schemes, and monitoring.
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Visit their website here.
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ECN will moderate the session on exploring carbon farming approaches: This session explores cutting-edge approaches to carbon farming, focusing on the intersection of biomass production & biowaste treatment, with the aim to improve soil organic matter and achieving carbon sequestration in soils. Presenters will highlight how innovative waste transformation, soil amendment practices, and advanced CDR methodologies can drive carbon sequestration, improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, and contribute to sustainable agriculture, and forestry. By bringing together expertise from diverse fields, the session will examine practical applications, policy implications, and the potential for scalable solutions. Discussions will include the role of circular bioeconomy practices, challenges in monitoring and verification, and the socio-economic and soil benefits for farmers and communities. The session aims to foster collaboration between farmers, scientists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to advance the adoption of impactful carbon farming practices across Europe.
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DGAW Research Congress I 13 -14 March 2025 I Kassel (DE)
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Presentation of master thesis on waste and resource management
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The German Association for Waste Management DGAW invites you to the 14th Scientific Congress “Waste and Resource Management”.
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This time, Prof. Dr. David Laner is hosting the congress. The event will take place from March 13 to 14, 2025 at the University of Kassel. The congress sees itself as a platform where the latest results of university and university-related research in the field of waste and resource management from completed master's theses and current, advanced or recently completed dissertations are presented to the specialist public.
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CYPRUS 2025 I 25-28 June 2025
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12th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management
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The CYPRUS 2025 12th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management will take place in Paphos, Cyprus from 25th to 28th June 2025. The conference website is available at: https://cyprus2025.uest.gr.
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Anaerobic Digestion, Waste-to-Energy, Waste Valorization, Biotechnology & Biorefineries, Symbiosis and Circular Economy, Recycling & Resources Recovery, Plastics & Bioplastics, Hazardous Waste include indicative conference topics. The conference will take place both with physical presence and virtually. More than 500 abstracts have already been submitted. The deadline for abstract submission has been extended until 28th February 2025 (https://cyprus2025.uest.gr/abstract-submission/ ).
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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.
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Sign the manifesto 'Save Organigs in Soil' here.
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ECN-QAS Trade Mark No 011007168 Trade mark for certified quality assurance organisations, compost and digestate products according to ECN-QAS Website: www.ecn-qas.eu
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