EUROPEAN COMPOST NETWORK
ECN e.V.

Network for Organic Resources and Biological Treatment

ECN E-BULLETIN No. 1_2022

21 JANUARY 2022

EU COM I Public consultation I Deadline: 15 March 2021

Policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics

On January 18, the European Commission has published the online public consultation on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics under the contract “Support to the European Commission in preparation of an EU-wide policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics’. The consultation is open until March 15, 2022.

In the European Green Deal, new Circular Economy Action Plan and EU Plastics Strategy, the European Commission announced a policy framework on the sourcing, labelling and use of biobased plastics, as well as the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics.

In view of this framework, the Commission wishes to assess where the use of biobased feedstock leads to genuine environmental benefits, beyond reducing the use of fossil resources. The Commission also wishes to assess whether using biodegradable and compostable plastics can be beneficial to the environment, in what context and under which conditions. Moreover, the Commission would like to gather views on measures and policy instruments that can optimise the use of biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics while minimising risks.

The survey includes two sets of questions: one for citizens and procurers/users of plastic products (for example in the hotels, restaurants, canteens sector, agricultural sector, fisheries sector, organiser of large public events); and one for all other professionals and experts who have an interest in biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics in their professional life.

The survey can be accessed here.

EU COM/DG ENV/Soil Team I Deadline 2 February 2022

Call for experts on the Mission Board on Soil

The European Commission recently launched a call for experts to join the five Mission Boards, including for the mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’. The main tasks of the new Mission Boards will be to promote the EU Missions by raising awareness of the citizens and advice on the actions of the Mission’s implementation plan.

Each Mission Board shall consist of up to 15 independent high-level individuals with excellent expertise in serving public authorities and citizens, and in combining public and/or private funding. In forming Mission Boards, the Commission is seeking to create balanced teams with diverse profiles. These should cover several domains such as business, public administration, science, culture, citizen engagement, and civil society organisations, from across Europe and beyond.

The call for applications is available here. Deadline for application: 2 February 2022 17h.

EU COM I Deadline 24 March 2022

HORIZON Europe calls on Soil Mission projects

Under Horizon Europe, the European Commission funds research and innovation in order to protect and restore soils in Europe and beyond.

This funding is in line with the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”. Eight topics are open, including Soil advisors; Linking soil health to nutritional and safe food; Incentives and business models; Engage with authorities to protect soil. Total Budget is 62 million Euro. Deadline for applications: 24 March 2022.

The call can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/33aHgZr

ESDAC/JRC I Data update for 2016

Soil erosion by water

An update of the 2010 soil erosion indicator took place for the year 2016 with new inputs from Farm Field Survey, LUCAS and CORINE Land Cover.

Compared to the assessment for 2010, a very small decrease of soil loss by water erosion (<1%>

The results are documented with relevant publication.

These new data (as a raster file) are available from: https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/content/soil-erosion-water-rusle2015

CEN/CENELEC I 13 January 2022

Standards for the Climate: CEN and CENELEC signed the London Declaration

ECN, as umbrella organisation representing the biological recycling sector in Europe welcomes, the initiative of CEN and CENELEC to sign the London Declaration on the commitment of international standards to climate action. European standards are a key enabler of the solutions needed for the Green Transition and contribute to a more sustainable future for Europe and the world.

The London Declaration was approved in September 2021 by the members of ISO and the IEC Council Board. The document commits the international standardization community to contribute to the achievements laid out in the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) supporting the climate agenda. This commitment includes the inclusion of climate considerations in the development of all new and revised international standards, and the facilitation of the involvement of civil society and those most vulnerable to climate change in the development of international standards.

ECN has a liaison with CEN and is actively involved in the Technical Committee on Soil Improvers and Growing Media for the development of European Standards in relation to the EU Fertilising Products Regulation (EC 2019/1009).

Further information on the London Declaration of CEN and CENELEC can be accessed here.

Announcements

27 January 2022, ABC Economy Workshop

New potential technologies in the bioeconomy

The aim of the ABC Economy workshop organised by UCD & Cré is to engage stakeholders to help us understand your opinions on biomass technologies and new value chains

ABC Economy team at UCD will engage with key stakeholders through project partner, Cré, and project collaborators, Tipperary County Council and Monaghan County Council, to develop sustainable value chains based on available bioresources.

ABC Economy will develop new sustainable value chains for the bioeconomy in Ireland by maximising value and minimising environmental impacts through cascading biomass to create biobased products and generate energy. Cascading means using biomass for high value products, before creating lower quality / value products, then followed by energy generation. ABC Economy will characterise biomass in each region and assess the potential processes for bioproduct and energy production.

11-13 May 2022, ‘s Hertogenbosch (NL)

ManuREsource 2021 takes place in 2022

The postponed edition of ManuREsource 2021 will be organized on 11 and 12 May 2022 in ‘s Hertogenbosch (NL)at the Agri&Food Plaza, headquarters of ZLTO, the Southern Dutch farmers organisation, and HAS University of applied sciences!

The program that was foreseen for ManuREsource 2021 in November 2021 will be transferred as much as possible to the postponed edition. The Organizing Committee is working on the program and will communicate the preliminary program as soon as possible.

During the parallel sessions, contributions from specific European projects (Horizon 2020 Systemic, Horizon 2020 Nutri2cycle, Horizon 2020 Fertimanure, PPS NL Next Level Mestverwaarden, PPS NL Betere Stal, Betere Mest, Betere Oogst and Interreg VL-NL NITROMAN) will be discussed.

On Friday 13 May 2022 a facultative field trip with exclusive site visits to 3 local manure processing installations will be organized (Eco-Energy in Oirschot, Ecoson in Son and Groenewoud Gas in Sint-Oedenrode).

ManuREsource 2021 will be organized by the Flemish Coordination Center Manure Processing (VCM vzw), Ghent University, Inagro and the Dutch Center of Expertise for valorization of manure (NCM). As ManuREsource 2021 was postponed, the call for abstracts reopens for poster presentations until 28 February 2022.Further information: here

FAO/GSP/ITPS I May 2022

Global Symposium on Soil Fertility

The international science-policy meeting co-organized by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and GSP/ITPS (Global Soil Partnership / Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils) will be held at FAO headquarters in May 2022.

The main objective is to fill some critical knowledge gaps and promote discussion among policy makers, food producers, scientists, practitioners and other stakeholders on solutions to provide sufficient food and live in harmony with nature, through the achievement of the SDGs on zero hunger, and the sustainable use of soil fertility (SDG2, SDG 6, SDG 14, SDG 11).

The specific objectives of the symposium are to:

Examine the current scientific, technical, indigenous and traditional knowledge on the role of soil fertility on food production, human health and on sustaining fertility management;
Identify knowledge gaps and explore opportunities for collaborative research, capacity building and technical cooperation;
Present effective and replicable methodologies, techniques, technologies and practices that promote sustainable production, with a view to upscale those approaches to promote sustainable management of soil fertility, the sustainable use of its resources and equitable participation in productive landscapes;
Identify policy options to maintain/improve soil fertility and encourage the adoption of innovation practices that enhance it.

Participants

Participants will include representatives from FAO member states, scientists and practitioners working in related fields, representatives from NGOs, civil society, land users and representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Additionally, the symposium has called the attention of the private sector working on sustainable agriculture and technology development related to soil fertility.

More information here

26-29 July 2022 | Virtual format

Soil4Nutrition Symposium 2022

The FAO's Global Soil Partnership is pleased to announce next year's Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition, which will be held from 26 to 29 July 2022 in a virtual setting.

The Symposium will address the role of soil fertility in delivering sufficient, high quality, safe, and nutritious food for better-nourished plants, animals, and people. Its specific objectives will be: (1) to examine the current scientific, technical and traditional knowledge on soil fertility management; (2) to present innovative, and effective technologies and practices that promote sustainable food production; (3) to identify policies that maintain and improve soil fertility and nutrition; and (4) to encourage the adoption of good practices that facilitate sustainable intensification of food production systems and maintain food security while addressing the goals of the Global Climate Agenda.

ECN Member Meetings

04 February 2022, 10:00 am

Task Group meeting ‘Soil & Organic Matter’

The Task Group (TG) members will discuss the TG work schedule for 2022. Participation is restricted to ECN members. ECN members with an interest in this Task Group and who have not registered so far, please send an email to info@compostnetwork.info to join this meeting.

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.