Biodegradable packaging “key challenge” to composters

” A far broader waste stream is coming into the sector and far more technology is involved. “
– Peter Mills, Composting Association
Speaking to letserecycle.com yesterday, Peter Mills said that dealing with biodegradable packaging will be both a “key challenge for the Association and a great opportunity for composters over the coming year.”

Mr Mills, who took over from Trelawney Dampney as the Association's chairman late last year, said “a significant amount” of supermarkets were now opting for biodegradable packaging.

He said composters were the “best industry” to deal with biodegradable packaging, suggesting value could only be gained from biodegradable packaging “if it is able to be put through in-vessel composting technologies or MBT and processed into compost.”

Last year saw mineral water company Belu blaming the waste management industry for being unable to deal with their compostable plastic bottles (see letsrecycle.com story).

Closing the loop
Mr Mills, who also works for MBT specialists New Earth Solutions, suggested that a way to close the loop with respect to biodegradable packaging would be using it to make compost for use in growing crops that could make new biodegradable packaging.

As far as representing new technologies like MBT, the Composting Association is “evolving”, Mr Mills said. The Association currently has a membership of around 700 businesses, ranging from community composting groups to big commercial composters.

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Composting Association

He said: “A far broader waste stream is coming into the sector and far more technology is involved. The Association aims to be at the forefront of providing guidance and understanding on these new sophisticated technologies.”

Protocol
Another of the major steer for the Association in 2007 will be dealing with the new Quality Protocol on Composting (see letsrecycle.com story), now expected to be published in March. The new Composting Association chairman said: “We will be encouraging our members to take part as it is the best option for their businesses – enabling them to produce compost which isn't deemed to be a waste any more.”