Workshops

Nordic Biogas Conference NBC 2019 (9-11 April, Oslo)

ECN Session: Biofertilizer / Digestate: Securing the Whole Value Chain

On the occasion of the 7th Nordic Biogas Conference, which took place from 9 to 11 April 2019 in Oslo, the European Compost Network (ECN) organised the session on ‘Biofertilizer/Digestate: Securing the whole value chain - How to turn digestate from a cost to an asset?’.

Stefanie Siebert, Executive Director of the European Compost Network introduced the session by giving an overview on  digestate production from bio-waste, the impact of the new European Fertilising Regulation and the role of quality assurance in Europe.
Florian Strippel, Fachverband Biogas, introduced the characteristics, application possibilities and current markets of liquid or solid fraction of digestate.
Caroline Steinwig, Avfall Sverige,
talked about the Swedish QAS “Certified Re-use” and current production of digestate in Sweden.
Alberto Confalionieri, Italian Composting and Biogas Association,
presented the current situation regarding the quality, the collection and treatment of bio-waste in Italy.
Overall the session gave a good overview about the state of the art of different anaerobic digestion techniques for using digestate in a sustainable way.

The report of the ECN session can be accessed here and all presentations can be downloaded here.

 

World Resource Forum  WRF 2019 (24-27 February, Antwerps)

ECN Workshop: How to market Compost- and Digestate-based Products successfully?

The European Compost Network (ECN) and Vlaco organised successfully a workshop on ‘Marketing tailor made compost- and digestate-based products’ during the World Resource Forum on 26 Februrary 2019 in Antwerps (BE). The overall objective is to facilitate sustainable biodegradable waste management practices throughout the whole of the EU 28 and to establish markets for recycled bio-based products. The workshop brought together stakeholders from the waste and growing media sector, policy makers and researcher. 

Adrie Veeken, the Chair of the ECN Task Group 'Growing media & Horticulture' introduced the European Quality Assurance Scheme for compost by presenting the new set up guidelines for compost use in growing media.

Elke Vandaele from VLACO explained why research results are the foundation of product differentiation of compost and digestate in Flanders.

Nele Ameloot from Greenyard Horticulture gave an insight to the industry perspective on wise use of compost in growing media.

As a result of the interactive session the following conclusions were taken:

  • Only high quality compost and digestate-based products from separate collected biowaste can be successfully placed on the market!
  • Quality assurance and control is a precondition for the use of compost and digestate-based products in growing media!
  • There is a need to improve further the quality and consistency of compost and digestate-based products for the use in growing media, horticulture and agriculture!
  • Markets need tailor made compost and digestate-based products!
  • Compost enriches the microbiological life in growing media and has a high resilience on soil-borne diseases!
  • There is a high interest in local produced circular materials.
  • Recycled organic materials, as compost and digestate, improve soil organic matter and replace primary nutrients!
  • Compost and digestate have a high potential to save greenhousegas emissions!

The presentation and the conclusions can be downloaded here.

 

 

 

 

EU Policy Workshop 'Biowaste in the Circular Economy' hosted by the European Committee of the Regions'

Date:   Wednesday 6 September 2017

Time:   9.30 - 15.00 h

Venue:      European Committee of the Regions, Jacques Delors Builing

                        Rue Belliard 101, Brussels (BE)

 

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

The European Compost Network is organising the workshop ‘Biowaste in the Circular Economy’. This workshop comes at a time when European policy makers have important decisions to make about the sustainable management of biowaste in Europe. This event for key stakeholders in European biowaste management will discuss the current legislative process and practical experiences on the implementation of separate collection of biowaste in different types of European countries.

The event will be a key opportunity to get an update on the process and to network with key stakeholders.

Workshop website

 

 

Stakeholder Conference 'Closing the loop' on the 25th June 2015 in Brussels (BE)

As part of the process to develop a more ambitious circular economy package, the European Commission organised a circular economy conference in Brussels on 25 June 2015. The circular economy package due in late 2015 will lay out the opportunities for green growth and build on previous EU resource efficiency and innovation initiatives.

More than 700 participants followed the discussion at the Circular Economy Conference on 25 June in Brussels. The conference consisted of an opening plenary (keynote and panel discussion), a series of break-out sessions addressing specific aspects of the circular economy, and a closing panel with institutional representatives.

The key conclusions of the debate will feed into the public consultation on Circular Economy (closing date 20 August) and on waste markets (closing date 4 September). The new package is expected to be adopted by the end of this year.

The presentations from plenary and individual sessions and the key conclusions are available on the website of the European Commission:

The opening and closing speeches can be read here: F. Timmermans, K. Vella, J. Katainen.

‘The Role of Biowaste in the Emerging Circular Economy’ on the 24th June 2015 in Brussels (BE)

The European Parliament’s Intergroup on ‘Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development’ (EP CCBSD) has organised a policy debate on ‘the role of biowaste in the emerging circular economy’, which is a valuable resource for growth and job creation in Europe. The topic was initiated and supported by the European Compost Network and more than 100 participants followed the debate. Stakeholders highlighted the key role that biowaste will have in the emerging circular economy and called upon EU decision-makers to support the proper management of biowaste as it will contribute to a more sustainable and resource-efficient Europe.

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Related documents:

Presentations:

AD EUROPE 2014 20th-21st February 2014 in Dublin (IE)

The European conference on anaerobic digestion and composting, AD Europe, Dublin 20th-21st February 2014, brought together 193 professionals in renewable energy, organic waste and agricultural residue treatment, regulators and scientists from 22 countries around the world. The conference was jointly organised by the ECN and Cré - Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland. With 39 speakers covering topics from composting to anaerobic digestion, the conference was a vibrant forum to exchange knowledge and explore emerging techniques in the AD and composting sector. There was plenty of entertainment for delegates with a food fair one evening, another evening was the conference banquet followed by Irish dancing. During the conference banquet there was a raffle and raised €1,100 for the Irish Cancer Society.

The programme can be downloaded here.

ECN/PIGO Biowaste Seminar 8th October 2013 in Poznan (PL)

In co-operation with the Polish Waste Management Association 'PIGO'  the ECN/PIGO Biowaste Seminar 2013 'Implementation of Organic Waste Management in Europe - EU policy strategies an national developments' was held on the 8th October 2013 in Poznan, Polen.

The seminar was kindly sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and supported by DG Environment of the EU Commission.

65 people from the following countries attended the workshop:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain.

Programme (pdf for download): Programme ECN_PIGO Biowaste Seminar Poznan2013

Presentations (pdf for download):