The report into the State of Composting for 2006/7 claims that the growth in source segregated waste was 5% – rising from 3.4 million to 3.6 million tonnes -but stated that this was a “smaller increase than in previous year”. It also noted that existing capacity, which currently stands at 5.3 million tonnes, is set to grow by 600,000 tonnes for source segregated waste and 30,000 tonnes for mixed waste inputs.
However, the report found that only 71% of composting capacity was in “annual utilisation”, meaning that 1.5 million tonnes of capacity was unused through the year, echoing concerns raised by composters in July about over-capacity in the sector (see letsrecycle.com story).
Commenting on this, the Association's Jeremy Jacobs, said: “Over previous years there has been a marked decline in the input volumes treated. However, I consider this to be a temporary lag caused by procurement delays whilst planning and licensing consents are achieved.”
Although the trend for municipal waste composting increased, there was also a 17% decrease in non-municipal waste composting from operations like landscaping, forestry and food production. The survey reported that has been a 5% increase in unspecified waste input and stated that this could account for some of the 17% decrease.
The report, which AFOR commissioned in conjunction with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), added that the majority of waste composted, 82%, came from the municipal sector. 48% came from civic amenity sites and 46% from kerbside collections. Waste from the municipal sector increased 2% to 58,000 tonnes. Less than 1% was made up of kitchen waste collected at the kerbside.
Mr Jacobs said: “This report is the only annual survey which represents the biowaste industry in the provision of meaningful data and AFOR are therefore delighted that WRAP has pledged to continue their support for the next two years”.
Robert Pocock, M-E-L added: “The annual survey, pioneered by AFOR (formerly The Composting Association) and now continued in partnership with WRAP, continues to provide powerful insight into the increasingly important organics recycling industry. The results generated from these surveys will help chart the course the industry takes in the future”.
Positive
Overall the report, which had 122 respondents who between them run 222 sites, was positive about the sector. Combined turnover was up 10% from the previous year to
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