Congratulations from The European Compost Network for 25 years of Quality Assurance for Composting and Anaerobic Digestion
Vlaco npo is the reference centre in Flanders in relation to composting and digestion. With a symposium on ‘Biological Cycle – The basic principle of Circular Economy’ Vlaco has celebrated its 25th anniversary on 13 June in Mechelen (BE).
Since its start-up in 1992, Vlaco considers quality as a key issue. A quality assurance system (QAS) has been put in place, which is obligatory for all professional composting and digestion plants in Flanders. This QAS is based on the principles of integral chain management. The QAS takes into account all aspects of the treatment and production chain, from the acceptance of biowaste, the quality of the treatment process, end product quality up to customer support for a reasoned use. The outcome of the QAS on treatment plant level is a product certificate, showing that the compost or digestate is produced according to the criteria set up in the certification scheme and the waste legislation. Without the control certificate, treated biowaste cannot be used as a secondary material. In 2015 86 plants treated more than 2 million tonnes of input materials. 360.000 tonnes of compost and 1.300.000 tonnes of digestate products were produced in 2015.
For more information about Vlaco, its quality assurance scheme and the status on bio-waste management in Flanders, please find the Country Report here: