Organics Recovery Judy Proctor and Kathy Nicholls Environment Agency National Plastics Strategy Lead Environment Agency National Biowaste Treatment Lead 25 February 2020 BBIA Conference
Strategic Context: • An important circular economy & source of renewable energy • Pressures on land bank & concern over plastics in soils • 25YEP: aim to eliminate all avoidable waste by 2050, reduce food waste & micro-plastics entering the environment • Net Zero, Resources & Waste Strategy (increase recycling & food waste collections) & Treasury’s fiscal incentives • Business leaders- WRAP UK Plastics Pact & Courtauld Commitment 2025 & Business in the Community Circular Economy Taskforce & Waste to Wealth, REA & ABDA initiatives 3
Micro-plastics in sludge and soil • 10Mt/yr of organic wastes (incl. biosolids and composts) applied to farmland • Estimated to include >100 kt of microplastics Earthworms concentrate finer microplastic particles in their casts (from Lwanga et al. 2016) Plastics in compost (from Bläsing and Amelung 2018) 4
Macro Plastics Contamination on Land 5
Concerted Action in Partnership • Shared knowledge gaps • Consistency for sampling & assessment for micro-plastics • Investigating micro-plastics with water industry, Highways England & academics • Role compostable plastics in food waste recovery • Prevent release of plastic pellets used in regulated industries • Key Actions for Farmers: Resources & Waste • Establish regulatory and industry led approaches to reduce plastics from biowastes and other materials spread to land 6
Organics Recovery: An Overview SOURCES Food waste (commercial and LA collected) Engaging to reduce plastic contamination of green and food Green waste (commercial and LA collected) wastes Sewage sludge Research- UKWIR Sink to River and CIP3 Industrial waste investigations of plastics in sewage sludge PROCESSING Anaerobic Digestion (wet & dry) Biowaste facilities permits- Standard Rules consultation & phased review limiting wastes Industrial Composting (IVC & open windrow) accepted and improving plastic separation prior to treatment. Home composting Bringing sewage sludge treatment facilities into Industrial treatment prior to spreading to BSI PAS and QP standard Industrial Emissions Directive. DISPOSAL Materials to Land having met End of Waste tests (QPs) Quality Protocols review for Digestate & Composts & Digestate spreading (QP & PAS 110 standard < 2mm plastic) NB PAS are marketing standards EA Sewage Sludge Strategy Compost spreading (QP & PAS 100 total physical contaminants 0.25 % mass RECOVERY EA Materials to Land Strategy (of which 0.12 plastic) varies according to N) Key Actions for Farmers: Resources & Sewage Sludge to land (Sludge Use in Agric Use Regs no plastic limit) Waste
Campaigns to reduce plastic in green and food waste (information barriers) • Recycle Now • REA & cross-industry Quality Action Plan • WRAP organics survey of biowaste operators • REAL Compostable Plastics- certification scheme 8
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