Biowaste and biofuels problems and possible solutions within the framework of waste recycling regulations , Tartu

Transcription

1 Biowaste and biofuels problems and possible solutions within the framework of waste recycling regulations , Tartu Peeter Eek Head of the Waste Department, Ministry of Environment 2011

2 Terms: Waste law: biodegradable waste Biodegradable waste is waste that decomposes anaerobically or aerobically, such as food waste, paper and cardboard. New European Union Waste Directive 2008/98 Biowaste biodegradable yard and green area waste, also waste from households, restaurants, catering and retail companies that produce food and kitchen waste and similar waste from food industry; Biodegradable waste is a broader term, including paper, cardboard, leaves, branches (more generally garden and parks waste), plant textiles etc. Waste law creates concrete limitations for the reduction of waste dumping in landfills as a whole, among municipal waste this has largely affected the sorting of paper, cardboard, and garden and parks waste, but significantly less the sorting of kitchen waste

3 National waste plan 2008, biodegradable waste among municipal waste The share of biodegradable waste among municipal waste is 65%, i.e. in 2005, 320,000 tons of biodegradable waste was produced In 2005, 260,000 tons of biodegradable waste was deposited in landfills together with municipal waste By 2010, the depositing of biowaste together with municipal waste should have been reduced by 20,000 tons, by ,000 tons and by ,000 tons.

4 Options when handling biodegradable waste: Dumping at landfills - to this day largely a common practice not a sustainable solution from the future perspective Burning at incineration plants or in cement furnaces as waste fuel (RDF) partly accepted as economic inevitablitiy due to problems with mixed waste sorting or due to waste water sludge contamination on the other hand, a larger proportion of biowaste during incineration is a major problem. Recycling covering both composting and fermentation: composting is often cheaper and more simple, while in the LCA models fermentation is generally preferable, since it coproduces energy, which, considering contamination levels in Estonia due to oil shale plant, is clearly more advantageous.

5 Terms: EU working document criteria concerning cessation of waste regarding biodegradables Compost: solid debris material, derived from composting, turned hygienic and stabilized Composting is the controlled decomposing of biodegradable waste during processes, which are generally aerobic, and which enable the rise of temperature to a level, which is acceptable for termophilic bacteria due to heat emitting from biological degradation. Digestate: semi solid or liquid residual from fermentation, which is produced as a result of anaerobic handling of biodegradable materials. This can be originally as a residual from fermentation, or separated into liquid or solid fragment containing fibrous materials Anaerobic degradation (fermentation): is a controlled process of decomposing of biodegradable materials, which is generally anaerobic and ensures the convenient temperature for mesophilic and termophilic bacteria.

6 Digestate current regulations There is no special normative regarding digestate quality or handling in Estonia, as there is none in many EU countries. At the moment 4 cases with different input materials can be presented: Input as specially grown biomass not within the regulatory field of Waste Law Input as manure and sludge the quality and usage of which is not within the regulatory framework of Waste Law, but governed by the Fertilizer Law and its subacts, and by the Water Law, regarding handling When dealing with waste water sludge, the quality norms are defined by the grounds of Water Law and Waste Water Sediment regulation. Digestate derived from biowaste or from waste treated with such materials this is considered waste, therefore within the regulatory framework of Waste Law

7 Digestate preferable regulation model Although fermentation can be handled with only one of the mentioned input materials, it is usually practical to mix different input agents which means that there is a need for a more general digestate normative When the input material contains waste by definition of Waste Law, the first output is also considered as waste. The new EU Waste Directive (updated Waste Law is in approval process) brings in a new legal term cessation of waste EU Cion is working on waste cessation criteria concerning biodegradable waste, which covers also digestate it will not regulate first hand the usage of digestate derived from pure biomass (is outside the framework of Waste Law). Estimated decision of EU Cion 2012

8 Digestate questions regarding cessation of waste If digestate is no more a waste is it a fertilizer, and therefore within the regulations of Fertilizer Law? The question is mainly about proving the accordance with criteria of waste cessation, by Fertilizer Law there is a certain system, whilst outside of the previously mentioned a separate legal act must be created by independent sertifiers, whose actions are managed by the accreditation centre. Proving the conformity with the normatives is important and is in both cases related with certain additional costs. The status of waste cessation means, that it can be handed over on the merchandise market with substantial restrictions, and with usage guidance materials, the usage doesn t have to be covered by the Waste Law. The digestate can be transported to other parts of EU without the requirements of the Waste Transport Regulation etc.

9 Digestate on the grounds of Water Law Water protection requirements for fertiliser and manure storage facilities and silage deposition storage facilities, and requirements for usage and storage of manure, silage juice and other fertilizers (Regulation by the Government, No 288) Water Law 26'1: It is allowed to transfer 170 kg N and 25 kg P into the soil per hectare/year (through manure), including N and P that is in the manure left by the animals on an open pasture. Through mineral fertilizers, it is allowed to transfer such an amount of N and P into the soil per year per hectare, which is needed for the growth of agricultural plants. The limitation has to be taken into account also when considering the deposition norms of digestate.

10 Digestate heavy metals Heavy metals are a potential problem mainly when handling waste water sediment, since during fermentation a large portion of the dry residue emits carbon as methane gas (up to 60 per cent). The remaining digestate is virtually enriched with heavy metals their amount remains the stable, but the relative concentration increases. The handler of waste water should guarantee, that the sediment would contain as few heavy metals as possible, but in case of ordinary content, the digestate should not be considered hazardous due to previously mentioned facts. The Waste Water Sediment Regulation creates limits for heavy metal content in the sediment, agricultural land (to be deposited onto), and also the 10 year summed up amounts that are allowed to be transfered into the soil.

11 Digestate impurities The term impurities usually refers to glass, plastic, metal etc. materials contained in the smaller fractions of composts and digestate. When sorted municipal waste, but also garden and parks waste is used as an input material, this also could present a problem. Usual allowed level in other EU countries is 0,5 % In Estonia it is not regulated An important risk factor is the idea to add smaller fractions of municipal mixed waste that have undergone MBT treatment to fermentation process, which means that the glass, plastic etc materials contained within are added to the digestate. The criteria for the cessation of waste very probably also limit the kinds of waste allowed to have as input, narrowing it down to only sorted waste.

12 Fermentation and digestate polluter pays principle options According to the research conducted by the EU on the cessation of biowaste (2011), the digestate has rarely any positive value (sometimes just a couple of euros per ton, which is slightly lower than the price for compost) In waste handling fermentation usually competes to a certain extent with composting, which has a recipient price of euros/ton in Estonia. Generally composting has had to this day a larger share of investment support, but even so the reception price doesn t usually cover all the real expenses, at least in case of handling sorted biowaste. Many of the composting structures are clearly underused -> also for fermentation, the socalled gate-price can be used as an input for those kind of waste. Due to the fact, that during the next 2 years an important breakthrough in the handling of mixed waste is expected the Waste Incineration plant in Iru, MBT structures in Tallinn, Sõjamäe and Tallinn landfill it is possible that the reception price for waste will be lower than the current dumping price (ca 55 euros/ton) Since this kind of development might pose an even greater threat to the sorting of waste and more broadly to the development of recycling systems, incl biodegradable waste sorting, therefore a possible economic action would be mixed waste reusing tax, which is similar to the current deposition tax.

13 Problems with sorting of biowaste EU Commission is considering to determine a target number for sorted biowaste collection during the next 3-5 years, in the working document per cent of produced biowaste has been proposed. On the other hand it is probable, that the number will be presented as an X kg/person/year for every country, leaving some room for flexibility regarding collection. The 2009 official waste report includes 31 thousand tons of garden & parks waste production, on the other hand, regarding handling there are contradictory data i.e. a large portion of the green waste which is suitable for fermentation, seems to disappear somewhere... Very often the quality of such waste is very low (especially regarding cemetery green waste), principally it is mixed waste. Often even then, there are problems with the quality of material Basically there is a lack of local waste-orientated constant consultation and supervision, which could provide for the quality and level of the sorting system usually the problem of low financing is brought out, but still, solutions like waste tax are strongly opposed

14 Summary The main requirements for the quality of digestate and its usage are currently existing within the frames of Water, Waste and Fermentation Law, or usable in a parallel way. The waste cessation criteria for biowaste will be approved on the EU level probably 2012 (?) the practical question remains, whether Estonia needs its specific regulation earlier, or will it become a burden, when the EU regulation is in effect? Regarding production of biogas the most important issue economically is the prices of different competing energy sources, but some effect will certainly have the amount, quality and handling price of suitable municipal waste, which will remain dependent on other developments in municipal waste handling, including the modification of Environmental Charges Law, success or setbacks of improving the quality of waste sorting etc.

15 Thank You for attention!