1 Introduction and organic waste situation

Update June 2010

In Portugal, almost 5 millions tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) are produced by approximately 10 million inhabitants every year. The country is organized in regions for the waste treatment propose, and 25 companies, each one in a region, is responsible for MSW valorization and final disposal (Figure 1). Madeira and Azores islands also have its Waste Management Systems (WMS). From an environmental and economical point of view, such scheme has been contributing for a better management of MSW.

Figure 1- Portugal and the Waste Management Systems (Source:APA,2010)

Important steps for the improvement of waste management in Portugal were taken: the Strategic Plan for MSW Management (PERSU) was published in 1997 and revised ten years later, in 2007 (PERSU II). The Plans include a detailed characterizion of the MSW situation, and define the strategic orientations for the futur.

To divert Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) from landfill and fulfil the targets established by the 1999/31/CE Landfill Directive, in July 2003 Portugal approved a National Strategy for the Reduction of Biodegradable Municipal Waste Landfilling. The BMW allowed in landfill, were 1,689,540 tonnes in 2006,1,126,360 tonnes in 2009 and 788,452 tonnes in 2016.
To reduce the BMW in landfill, the National Strategy established the next priorities to be promoted all over the country:

• Reduction of the amount of waste through small scale composting projects
• Increasing of separate collection of food waste and garden waste
• Construction of new plants for organic recycling through anaerobic digestion and/or composting and the improvement of the existing plants
• Production of quality compost by separating collection of food waste and green waste and by establishing a national standard on compost quality
• Increasing separate collection of cardboard/paper
• Construction of a new incinerator

The National Strategy had predicted to treat BMW, the already existing technologies in the country (MBT and incineration) and the separated collection of BMW and composting.

In 2007, with the revison of Strategic Plan for MSW Management (PERSU II), other driving forces were established to fulfil Landfill Directive. One of the most important issues presented in PERSU II is the promotion of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) as the technology capable to reach the targets established in Landfill Directive. The evolution of MSW quantities in different kind of facilities in a “moderate“ scenario is presented in Figure 2.

Figure 2- Evolution of the MSW inputs in different facilities (Source: PERSU II, 2007)

The 25 regions presented before for the MSW management were regrouped to increase the waste quantity to be treated in order to promote economical viability for some MBT plants: in the futur 22 plants will be running for MSW and separate collection BMW.

Since the begining of 2010, six MBT plants are running with MSW and two other plants are running with biowaste. These two are the new plants of Valorsul and Lipor. This plants are treating the biowaste comming from the main producers (canteens, markets, restaurants, hotels). The treatment process chosen by Valorsul is anaerobic digestion followed by composting, and Lipor is composting. Seven new MBT plants in Portugal, will start operating in the period between 2010 and 2013. The chosen processes are anaerobic digestion folowed by composting.

The sucess of the portuguese waste strategy to fulfil the Landfill Directive targets is closely related to the use of MBT outputs: an estimation of outputs produced in MBT is presented in Figure 3. The electric energy produced from biogas has an economic value, but for the other outputs, like Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), stabilized residue/compost and recyclabes, must still be promoted and economically valued. A Strategy for RDF for the period 2009-2020 was published last year and, to ensure RDF quality, a portuguese standard was also approved (NP 4486:2008). A Strategy for Compost has been in preparation.

Figure 3- Estimation of the outputs produced in MBT (Source: PERSU II, 2007)
The MBT plants construction´s has been delayed that forced Portugal to reschedule Landfill Directive targets. The BMW going to landfill must be reduced to 50% of the total amount of BMW produced in 1995 in 2013 and to 35% the total amount of BMW produced in 1995 in 2020.

2 Quality and Standards

A quality standard for compost and stabilized waste has also been in preparation. Moreover, any fertilizer, to circulate in the market, must be submitted to analysis to ensure its security and effectiveness during its use (Portaria 1322/2006, 24 de Novembro). The producers are forced to submit, every five years, a set of information about the product to the official body to get a permit for use (Table 1).

Table 1: Data for soil improvers

The use of compost and stabilized waste must be done according the Code for Good Agricultural Practices. As the quality standard for compost and stabilized waste is still in preparation, some producers have adopted the 2nd Draft of Biological Treatment of Biowaste as a reference document for compost. Some compost producers got a certificate for biological agriculture.

3 Contacts and sources of information

Department of Science and Environmental Engineering/ Faculty of Science and Technology/ New University of Lisbon
Professor Ana Silveira
Quinta da Torre
P-2829-516 Caparica
Portugal
Phone: 351 21 2948397
Email: ais@fct.unl.pt

APA (2010)- Environmental Portuguese Agency http://www.apambiente.pt

PIRES, A., SILVEIRA, A., MARTINHO, M.G. (2010). MBT and Anaerobic Digestion in Portugal- A Concept to meet EU Landfill Directive targets. International 8th ASA Waste Days- MBT Mechanical Biological Treatment Technology- Tool for Material Specific and Energy Efficient Solutions and International Workshop “MBT Introduction in Starting Countries” 24.-26. February 2010. In co-operation with European Compost Network.

PIRES, A., MARTINHO, M.G., SILVEIRA, A. (2007). Could MBT Plants be the Solution to Fulfil Landfill Directive Targets in Portugal?. In Proceeding of 2nd International Symposium MBT 2007, 22.-24. May 2007, Hannover, Germany.

MAOTDR (2007)- Strategic Plan for Municipal Solid Waste 2007-2016 (in Portuguese: PERSU II – Plano Estratégico para os Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos 2007-2016). Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional. Lisboa. ISBN 978-989-8097-01-9.