1 Introduction and organic waste situation

update June 2010

In Hungary the whole potential of organic raw materials suitable for aerob or anaerob biological treatment reaches the 4,1 million tons/year. The main waste stream is the biodegradable fraction of the Municipal Solid Waste. This waste stream consists of 2,45 million tons/year green-waste and biowaste. The second potential stream is the 800 000 tons/year (calculated on 20 % d.m. content) municipal sewage sludge quantity. There is also 400 000 tons/year potential amount of agricultural residues and wastes from food industry suitable for aerob and anaerob treatment.

Legal framework for the organic waste stream and compost production

The requirements and the processes of modern waste management have set in force as a new waste management law in 2001. The Nr. 2000/43 National law from Waste management defines wastes and their types. Legal aspects of waste management, transfer and transport with responsibilities of waste holders are specified. The other related regulations are in the following.
Regulation Nr. 23/2003. - Technical requirements of biowaste treatment and composting („BIOWASTE REGULATION”)

The 23/2003 Biowaste Regulation defines compost. It also covers suitable input materials, hygiene requirements and the technical specifications of composting/biogas plants.
It regulates only the establishment and operation of composting/biogas facilities but there is no regulations regarding the end-product and quality assurance. With this content it does not support the use of composts.

Regulation Nr. 36/2006 - Permission, distribution and utilization of materials for growing yields („FERTILIZER REGULATION”)

Regulation of materials for growing yields specified by the decree 36/2006 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It regulates the use of all kind of soil fertiliser (chemical fertilizers, composts, organic fertilisers and growing media).
The decree defines compost as a product and gives product specifications. It is allowed to produce compost products from sewage sludge. Limit values for trace elements and level of pollutants are specified. It regulates only the use of end product and not the production process. The permission is valid for 10 years. Unfortunately this decree is not in harmony with Regulation Nr. 23/2003. - Technical requirements of biowaste treatment and composting.

Regulation Nr. 50/2001 – Ruling the treatment and agricultural utilization of wastewater and wastewater sludge („SEWAGE SLUDGE REGULATION”)

Sewage sludge might be applied on arable lands for agricultural purposes if meets all requirements specified in the order Ministry of Environment and Water metals concentration limits and sanitary tests. Regulation Nr. 50/2001 regulates only sewage sludge treatment and utilization. Threshold values of toxic elements in raw materials and end products are specified. It is possible to use treated sewage sludge under individual permissions. Regulation Nr. 40/2008 (Modification of the Regulation Nr. 50/2001) makes a distinction between sewage sludge and composted sewage sludge.

Treatment of organic waste and MSW

Composting
According to the latest official survey done by the Ministry of Environment and Water in 2005 there were 34 biowaste treatment plants with 301 443 tons/year treatment capacity available.
The number of composting plants has increased recently so according to the Hungarian Quality Compost Association non-official survey there are 60 composting plant in operation with a theoretical 500 000 tons/year treatment capacity (2009). The produced compost end-product is approximately 150 000 tons/year amount.

Mechanical-Biological Treatment
In order to meet the requirements of the EU Landfill Directive and to reduce the organic content of the MSW going for landfills the Hungarian Waste Policy target the need for pre-treatment. In 2009 there were 6 Mechanical-Biological Treatment plants processes 300.000 tons/year quantity.

Anaerobic digestion
There are some anaerobic digestion plants in operation (less than 5) and some others are in pilot phase. Most of these anaerobic digestion plants use agricultural waste like manure in combination with agricultural residues.

Between 2000 and 2006 several complex regional MSW management systems have been prepared. The EU co-financed 12 ISPA projects are supplying 3.8 million inhabitants. The total cost reached 278 million EUR. These projects include composting systems and MBT treatment facilities. Currently there are more regional waste management programs under constructing financed by KEOP 2007-2013 program (Cohesion Fund). The amount available for developing waste management systems is 390 million EUR.

Quality assurance system and compost utilization

The Hungarian compost quality assurance system is under constructing by the HQCA. The future system will be similar to the German System of the Bundesgütegemeinschaft Kompost e.V. BGK and will be based on the ECN-QAS.

Agriculture as a competent consumer is momentarily rare compared to the size of the available 4,5 million acres arable lands. This practice caused by the fact that plant nutrients in form of mineral fertilizers is available in large amount and use of this kind of chemical input materials is the most popular plant nutrition method for decades.

Contacts and source of country information

Hungarian Quality Compost Association
Mr. László Alexa – chief executive
Páter Károly u. 1.
H-2100 GÖDÖLL?
HUNGARY
Phone: +36 28 512 490
Fax: +36 28 422 880
E-mail: info@komposzt.hu
Web: www.komposzt.hu