On 26 August, ECN’s Executive Director, Dr Stefanie Siebert, attended the ‘Biomass, Quality and Compost’ training course organised by the Focus Group ‘Compost & Agriculture’ of the Farmers' Association of South Tyrol.
The Focus Group was initiated by the Agency for Environment and Climate of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano South Tyrol in cooperation with the ‘Sustainable Agriculture’ department of the South Tyrolean Farmers’ Association, with the aim of supporting bio-waste management and guiding farmers on the use of compost. Regular exchange meetings and training courses are organised.
This event aimed to provide participants with an understanding of how to recognise good compost, the important quality characteristics, how to ensure compost quality, and how to recycle organic waste materials sustainably. The training course on compost quality took place at the Katzental composting plant.
Stefanie Siebert, who is as well the Quality Manager of the European Quality Assurance Scheme for Compost and Digestate (ECN-QAS), presented the criteria that should be taken into account when assessing the quality of compost, how quality assurance facilitates the use of compost, and how soil health can be improved using compost. The presentation and the ECN fact sheets on compost for healthy soils are available on our website.
Finally, participants visited the Leisenhof pilot thermal energy plant in Sallegg, where plant-based materials are used to generate heat and produce compost-like materials for use as soil improvers in the vineries.
