1 Introduction and organic waste situation

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Waste disposal in Italy is still, at the national level, largely dependent upon landfilling. In 1999 74.4% of total MSW (ANPA, 2001) was landfilled, mainly without any pre-treatment, whilst source separation and recycling averaged 13,1 % of national MSW production.

In fact Italy has experienced a significant development of source separation and composting capacity in the last ten years, also as a consequence of the implementation of the new regulation on waste and the development of source separation (D. n.22/97). As of early 1999, some 600 Municipalities across Italy had already been reported to run source separation programs for food waste; the overall number is now estimated to be around 21,500 (out of 8,000 Municipalities in Italy).

The collection of yard waste is even more developed (it is widespread and it is compulsory in 4 Regions (Lombardia, Piemonte, Veneto, Sicily, some 450004000 municipalities, 1722.500.000 inhabitants).

2 Legal framework for the organic waste stream and the compost production

The main reason for the growth of recycling has been the issuing of the National Waste Management Law (Decree 22/97, also known as the "Ronchi Decree") which also enforced EU Directives 91/156, 91/689 and 94/62, totally rewriting legislation in Italy on waste. The Decree clearly points out that:

as for quantities to be landfilled: Landfilling comes last in the waste management hierarchy. Waste minimisation is to be preferred along with recycling; then comes thermal recovery and, as a final option, landfilling. Only pre-treated waste will be allowed to be landfilled since July 2001 and landfilling costs and tipping fees will have to take into account savings needed to ensure a long after care period (30 years in latest draft technical regulations, consistent with provisions of the Landfilling Directive);

specific recycling targets (for each Province) are set at:

• 15 per cent by March 1999,
• 25 per cent by March 2001,
• 35 per cent by March 2003.
• an additional fee has to be applied to those provinces where recycling targets have not been met.

In order to achieve the recycling targets, source separation in Italy is now undergoing an impressive growth. Attention is focusing particularly on the predominant waste fractions (such as paper and compostable organic waste). Although source separation of organic waste (kitchen and garden waste) is not compulsory, it is becoming the real back-bone of the waste management system, yielding (particularly when operated with door-to-door systems) recycling diversion rates as high as 20 - 40 % on its own.

In general, the intensive collection of dry recyclables alone (paper, glass, metal and plastic ) will not allow municipalities to meet the 35 per cent recycling goal for 2003. Accordingly, most regions and provinces now plan to promote food waste source separation from households and major producers (restaurants, canteens, greengrocers, etc.).

Schemes where a comprehensive scheme for separation at the doorstep includes source segregation of food waste, besides that of high-capture dry recyclables (namely paper), usually lead recycling at 50% and more, with highest numbers around 70-80%. For the time being, the development of recycling programs mainly refers to Northern Italy, though many programs are starting in Central and Southern regions. During 2000 and 2001 around 80 Municipalities have started intensive source separation of food waste at the curb near Naples hitting figures up to 75% recycling; specific captures of food waste tend to be higher in southern Italy, as this mirrors the higher percentage of food waste in MSW (normally 40 to 50%), due to different habits of life as compared to Northern Italy and Central Europe.

3 Treatment of organic waste

Composting
According to the preliminary results of a survey led by ANPA (the National Environmental Protection Agency) the number of plants increased from 10 in 1993 to 114 in 1999 (137 plants considering also sites with a capacity of less than 1000 tonnes per year).

In the same time frame, the overall quantity of raw materials treated (source separated organic waste) increased from 250,000 to 1,340,000 million tonnes, while the overall licensed capacity of plants was around some 2,020,000 tonnes.

These plants are treating principally organic waste from source separation of MSW (food and yard waste). The average size of the plants in Italy is relatively small, around 10.000 tonnes (75 plants); where as 37 plants treat between 10.000 and 30.000 t/y. Recent facilities anyway most frequently show a capacity above 30.000 t/y (18 plants); Region Veneto (which has the highest capacity, more than 500.000 tonnes, i.e. more than 100 kg/inhabitant) shows most frequently a different pattern, with some facilities between 50.000 and 100.000 tonnes.

The capacity for composting is still mainly concentrated in Northern and Central Italy; although, in parallel to the development of sorting schemes in Southern Italy, many facilities have been lately planned or constructed there. We should quote, for instance, that in the Naples' region (more than 5.000.000 inhabitants) where programs with recycling targets of 40% exist tenders for 24 small and medium-scale composting facilities (3000 to 6000 tpy) to be started in a few months. Also in Puglia 8 big facilities are under construction, while Sicily is planning 25 facilities in the middle term (with an overall throughput of 200,000 - 300,000 tpy).. So Italy shows a fast growing large market for composting plants.

Some regional provisions have been enacted, aiming at promoting the use of composted products. Emilia-Romagna and Piemonte already have issued regulations which fund the use of composted soil improvers.

• Region Emilia Romagna pays 300.000 ITL/ha (some 155 €) to use compost and promote a build-up of organic carbon in depleted soils
• Region Piemonte pays 425.000 ITL/ha (some 220 €) to use up to 25 tonnes dry matter/ha in depleted soils over a 5 years' time frame
  The rationale lies with the Rural Development Plans (2000-06) (Reg. CE 1257, on sustainable agriculture)

Organic materials others than food and garden waste are anyway also processed: among these, sludge from the food industry and from civil WWTPs, animal residues from slaughterhouses, fruit and vegetable market waste; to be used with no restriction, neither any further licensing procedure for its application, compost has anyway to meet tight requirements according to the National Act on Fertilisers (L. 748/84 as progressively modified). Thereby a sharp distinction is set between high-quality compost from source separation (to be used and marketed as a product, no restriction on its application) and mixed MSW compost or low-grade compost also from relatively polluted sources, as some sludge (to be used under restrictions, and after a licensing procedure for the site of application); further restrictions are planned for the near future for low-grade materials, which will likely be allowed only for one-off applications in land reclamation.

Anaerobic Digestion
Methanisation plays a minor role in Italy, due to difficult integration of waste management and wastewater managementAD facilities usually may be found where grants are available for their construction.. One Plant with 4 Valorga reactors exist near Venice, another near Padua; and a new combined composting and digestion plant was just opened in Padua (Komptech, Austria), an other is in planning status in Southern Italy Sardinia (MAT System). Some small facilities are in planning or running in Südtyrol, where also farm-scale low-tech digesters may be found.

Mechanical Biological Treatment
MBT is undergoing a fast development as Decree 22/97 asks for the waste to be pre-treated before being landfilled (this provision had to be enforced by July, 1st 2001; this provision has been set as a principle, but not enforced yet, though 90% of the population is already covered - or already planned to be covered - by either MBT or thermal treatment

As per 1999, MBT facilities reportedly were 41 for a total throughput of 2,200,000 tpy (permitted capacity above 3,700,000 tpy) More and more often old mixed MSW composting plants are being fully or partially converted to quality composting of source separated organic waste and/or used for biological treatment of restwaste. Moreover, new ones have been recently opened and this development will go on.

Nowadays, biological treatment for restwaste targets different possible aims:

• stabilisation prior to landfilling, in order to comply with provisions of both the National Waste Management Act and of Directive 99/31/CE on Landfilling;
• drying up of restwaste before thermal valorisation, along the lines of the Dry stabilate method increasingly developed in Central Europe;
• use of organic soil improvers ("Grey compost" or "Stabilised Organic Fraction", S.O.F.) for land reclamation. It has to be mentioned that the huge need of organic matter in Mediterranean weather and cropping conditions, leads to the need of saving quality compost of high quality only for application in cropping and gardening.

4 Quality assurance system By CIC

CIC (Consorzio Italiano Compostatori, i.e. the Association of Compost Producers) is a non-profit organisation which at present represents over 70% of the Italian composting operators, with nearly 100 members. All the major waste companies in Italy belong to the association including those that are not yet producing compost but intend to do so. The Technical Committee assists members but also central government and regional authorities.

CIC is currently working on two basic objectives:

a) promote the development of source separation of organic waste.

b) promote the development of application and marketing of quality compost.

Recently CIC has carried out a survey for the development of a national Quality Assurance System (QAS) for compost plants and compost products; this would be aimed, over the next years, at identifying controlled operational conditions at facilities and types of product is suitable for each application. A stepwise Working Plan has been set out to allow within 2 to 3 years, the start-up, pilot application and gradual diffusion of a Compost Quality Label within a wider Quality System Assurance (QAS).

5 Contacts and source of country information

Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza
Gruppo di Studio sul Compostaggio e la gestione Integrata dei Rifiuti
Dr. Enzo Favonio, Viale Cavriga 3, I-20052 Monza (MI),
Tel. +39-039-2302660
Mobile +39-335-355446
Fax +39-039-2327676

Email: enzofavoino@alice.it

Some reports, also available in English, may be downloaded at www.monzaflora.it, clicking on "area downloads", then selecting the category compostaggio e raccolta differenziata
CIC, CRPA, S. A.P. Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza (1999) Annuario del compost di qualità - Terza edizione - Acer, Il Verde Editoriale, ottobre 1999