ICA Press Release
28th November 2023
BRUSSELS, 5 December 2023 - The International Compost Alliance (ICA) is thrilled to announce its celebration of World Soil Day on the 5th of December, embracing the global theme for this year, "Soil and water, a source of life."
Key messages:
-
- Soil and water are essential resources for sustaining life on Earth;
- Soil and water are interconnected resources that need integrated management;
- Improper soil and water management practices affect soil erosion, soil biodiversity, soil fertility, and water quality and quantity;
- Soil and water conservation contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
World Soil Day serves as a significant occasion to highlight the crucial role that soil and water play in sustaining life on our planet. The ICA, along with its members spanning from New Zealand to Canada, is proud to participate in this celebration by hosting a series of enlightening webinars. These internet-based webinars are available globally and will focus on the vital role of compost in maintaining healthy soils, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and providing practical insights on minimizing contamination in compost.
Join us for a day of knowledge-sharing and discussions as we explore the profound relationship between soil and water, which is indeed the wellspring of life. The details of these webinars are outlined below, offering a unique opportunity to learn from experts in the field and discover the latest advancements in composting and sustainable agriculture.
Webinars of the members of the International Compost Alliance (ICA)
on 5th December 2023
12 pm New Zealand (UTC-11), WasteMINZ
Title: COMPOSTING AS REGENERATIVE PRACTICE
Free for WasteMINZ members, $49+GST for non-members.
Registration and further info here:
https://www.wasteminz.org.nz/Events/Celebrating-World-Soil-Day
10 am Europe (CET; UTC+1), European Compost Network ECN
Title: EUROPE'S NEW SOIL MONITORING LAW & COMPOST EFFECT ON SOIL BIODIVERSITY
A free webinar.
Registration and further info here:
https://www.compostnetwork.info/europes-new-soil-monitoring-law-compost-effect-on-soil-biodiversity/
1 pm Europe (CET; UTC+1), ISWA
Title: UNVEILING THE CONTAMINANTS REPORT 'PREVENTING AND MANAGING CONTAMINANTS IN ORGANIC RECYCLING'
A free webinar.
Registration and further info here:
https://www.iswa.org/event/webinar-unveiling-the-contaminants-report/?v=79cba1185463
10 am Canada (EST; UTC-7), Compost Council of Canada
Title: EMBRACING THE 6Cs APPROACH TO SOIL HEALTH
A free webinar.
Registration and further info here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FdN2LMtQTWujb37XOCOztA#/registration
1 pm United States (EST; UTC-7), Compost Research & Education Foundation
Title: DEEP DIVE INTO THE ROLE OF COMPOST & STORMWATER MEDIA: IDENTIFYING KNOWLEDGE GAPS & RESEARCH NEEDS
Webinar Cost: $19 for USCC members*, $29 for non-members.
Registration and further info here: https://www.compostingcouncil.org/event/CREF_stormwater_2023
About the International Compost Alliance:
**Vision**
The International Compost Alliance envisions a world where the recycling of organic waste is maximized to produce high-quality compost and digestate, thereby nurturing healthy soils, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing food security, and contributing to the circular bioeconomy.
**Mission**
Our mission is to foster collaborative efforts to maximize organic waste recycling and advance the production of certified, high-quality compost for the benefit of the environment, society, and our members. In pursuit of this mission, the Alliance aims to
- Serve as a 'think tank' and platform for sharing knowledge and ideas among Alliance organizations.
- Promote international evidence and information locally to members of Alliance organizations.
- Communicate joint strategic messages that allign with the interests of Alliance organizations and their members.
- Advocate for the benefits of the organics recycling industry on a global scale, engaging with entities such as NGOs, United Nations organizations, and relevant policy-makers.
The International Compost Alliance is committed to promoting sustainability and responsible environmental practices, and we are proud to contribute to World Soil Day's mission of raising awareness about the vital importance of soil and water in sustaining life on Earth.
For further information and updates on the ICA's World Soil Day webinars, please visit our website at www.internationalcompostalliance.org or contact your national organics recycling association.
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Contact:
Stefanie Siebert
Executive Director of ECN
International Compost Alliance
Siebert@compostnetwork.info
+49 234 4389447
Founding Members of the International Compost Alliance include:
- The Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) is the national voice for businesses across the organics recycling supply chain. AORA envisions a future where recycling and reuse of organic materials within a circular economy is widely understood and supported by Australians. AORA works to facilitate an operating environment which maximises the recycling and reuse of organic materials, and promotes the benefits of compost, soil conditioners and mulches across the Australian community and business.
- Compost Council of Canada (CCC) serves as the central resource and network for the organics recycling industry in Canada. The Council’s involvement in standard-setting and regulatory developments, operator training and certification, communication and networking help to support their charter to advocate and advance organics residuals recycling, digestate and compost use and assist their members to contribute to the environmental sustainability of the communities in which they operate.
- European Compost Network ECN is the leading European membership organisation promoting sustainable recycling practices in composting, anaerobic digestion and other biological treatment processes of organic resources. ECN represents more than 4.500 biological waste management plants in 27 European countries with a treatment capacity of more than 45 million tonnes per year.
- International Solid Waste Association (ISWA). ISWA is an international network of waste professionals and experts from around the world whose mission is “To Promote and Develop Sustainable and Professional Waste Management Worldwide and the Transition to a Circular Economy”. Its working group on biological treatment specifically focusses on composting and anaerobic digestion.
- Cré the Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland is a non-profit association of public and private organisations, dedicated to growing the biological treatment sector in Ireland.
- WasteMINZ (Waste Management Institute of New Zealand) is the largest representative body of the waste, resource recovery and contaminated land management sectors in New Zealand. Formed in 1989 it is a membership-based association with over 1,500 members – from small operators through to councils and large companies, including industrial an community composting facilities.
- The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) is the UK’s largest trade association for renewable energy and clean technologies with members operating across heat, power, transport, and the circular bioeconomy. REA Organics forum promotes the benefits of composting, aerobic and anaerobic digestion, and other biological treatment techniques and the use of biologically treated materials for the enhancement of the environment, business and society.
- The United States Composting Council (USCC) is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to the development, expansion, and advocacy of the composting industry. The USCC achieves this mission by encouraging and supporting compost related research, promoting best management practices, establishing standards, educating professionals and the public about the benefits of composting and compost utilization, enhancing compost product quality, and developing resource materials for compost manufacturers and markets for compost products.
- The Compost Research & Education Foundation (CREF) is a US non-profit charitable organization that supports initiatives that enhance the stature and practices of the composting industry by supporting scientific research, increasing awareness, and educating practitioners and the public to advance environmentally and economically sustainable organics recycling. The CREF increases awareness and educates the public through supporting public outreach and targeted activities including updating and creating compost resources and publications as well as developing local and national campaigns to raise public knowledge of composting and its importance to long-term sustainability.