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.