MEMORANDUM BY IAN SMITH, COMPOST DEVELOPMENT
WORKER, HEELEY CITY FARM, MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY COMPOSTING NETWORK
(DSW 34)
1. BACKGROUND
TO COMMUNITY
COMPOSTING
Community composting has typically been associated
with an intermediate scale of composting between home composting
and centralised composting. However, there is an increasing consensus
that "community composting" extends to all community
sector-driven organic waste management, of which intermediate-scale
community composting remains the most common expression. This
broadening definition encompasses community-sector organisations
promoting home composting/compost education and those working
with the public and private sectors.
Community waste sector organisations deliver
a wide range of social and economic benefits, such as job creation,
training and opportunities for people with special needs, as well
as environmental benefits. Given its increasing role in waste
management in the UK, it is vital that the Environment Sub-committee
specifically considers the implications of Waste Strategy 2000
on the community sector.
2. THE VALUE
OF COMMUNITY
COMPOSTING
1. Organic Waste is up to half of the domestic
waste stream.
2. The EU Landfill Directive is about waste
suitable for composting.
3. So, composting alone can enable councils
achieve both its mandatory EU and new DETR targets.
4. Organic waste is the only element of
the waste stream that can be reprocessed and used locally.
5. Community composting generally tackle
"household waste", it is this portion of the waste stream
that is pertinent to both EU and DETR targets.
6. Community composting adheres to the EU
definition of the "proximity principle", and can, in
many circumstances, represent the BPEO for the sustainable management
of secondary organic materials.
3. COMMENTS ON
WASTE STRATEGY
2000
I welcome the adoption of statutory targets
in recycling and composting for Local Authorities for the first
time. The aspirational targets set by the Government 10 years
ago (to meet 25 per cent recycling and composting by the year
2000) were obviously not taken seriously by the vast majority
of local authorities.
However, I express concern that the targets
for recycling and composting household waste get decreasingly
ambitious with time, whereas the targets for recovering value
from municipal waste get increasingly ambitious. I feel it is
essential that Local Authorities adopt intensive recycling, composting,
re-use and reduction programmes immediately, before they are committed
to an unsustainable programme of incineration, which can only
act as an incentive for society to generate waste.
4. COMPOSTING
AND LEGISLATION
The existing Exemption from Waste Management
Licensing Regulations for small composting sites makes it impossible
for community composters to sell their product. CCN received a
written assurance from the Minister for the Environment in January
1999 that the existing exemption would be revised, followed by
an oral assurance from a DETR official in September 1999 that
the consultation document on the revised exemption would be published
in November 1999. At the time of writing (September 2000) the
consultation document remains to be published. CCN urge the Environment
Sub-Committee to exert pressure on DETR to publish the consultation
document with immediate effect. It is felt that many potential
groups are put off forming until the so called "import export"
clause is clarified. It is particularly frustrating as we are
trying our best to help with the crisis in waste management. Legislation
for potential Community Composters should be made as simple as
possible to encourage more players into the sector. It is ironic
that on one hand the DETR wish to develop the market for recycled
products when on the other DETR are directly responsible for community
composting remaining an illegal activity.
5. BPEO
Under Section 4.5 of the Strategy it states:
"In determining Best Practicable Environmental Option we
will expect those making decisions to take account of three key
considerations: Waste Hierarchy, Proximity Principle and Self
Sufficiency".
I reinforce the view of CCN, and wish the Government
to emphasise:
— composting's place in the waste hierarchy
above energy recovery;
— the fact that community composting
groups manage organic waste as close to source as possible;
— that organic waste is the only element
of the waste stream that can be reprocessed and used locally.
6. THE ROLE
OF THE
COMMUNITY SECTOR
IN WASTE
MANAGEMENT (RE:
SECTION 4.32 OF
THE STRATEGY)
The community sector is increasingly developing
service level agreements with Local Authorities and aim to act
as sub-contractors or contractors in the near future. CCN members
are capable of providing a wide range of organic waste management
services, such as home composting support, organic waste collection,
compost site management and marketing, with added social and economic
benefits, and so provide Best Value.
The most successful community composting projects
in the UK are supported by the payment of Recycling Credits by
Local Authorities to third parties. It is felt that the payment
of such credits be made mandatory to enable valued "third
party" recyclers to operate at more of a sustainable and
rely less on other streams of funding. This would make a significant
difference to the financial sustainability of the project and
I am involved in at Heeley City Farm.
Community composting groups are increasingly
developing partnerships with the private sector to deliver significant
waste diversion with added social value.
I urge the Government to offer greater support
to this "third" or "social" sector and to
recognise the valuable contribution made. I would like to see
greater support for the Community Composting Network (CCN) in
the development of the first national training programme in community-based
composting. CCN is delivering a landfill-funded project which
is establishing 15 "Composting Demonstration Sites"
across the UK. By March 2001, all 15 sites will have run a regional
composting training event, conducted at least three site visits
and established a composting telephone advice line.
September 2000
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