Mr Jacobs retires tomorrow (29 May) from his work as technical director of the Renewable Energy Association where his focus has been on its organics recycling group.
He will be succeeded by Jenny Grant who is currently the REA’s organics manager for Scotland and will become the head of organics and natural capital.
In the interview he notes how the quality of material is so important for the composting industry with a need for local authorities to help ensure critical limits within the material are met. But, he recognises that councils have a “very difficult and unenviable job” to get householders to exclude plastics.
Mushrooms
Mr Jacobs recounts how he started in the industry in mushroom production. From this he became involved in green waste composting as well as in-vessel composting using tunnels.
He then joined the Composting Association, becoming chief executive in 2008, and feels his practical experience had helped him during his time at the association, skills which he transferred when it was absorbed into the REA as its organics group.
And he notes how WRAP had helped with support for the sector and how, with the work of his colleague, Emily Nicholls, the PAS standards had been developed for compost.
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