The confusion followed a statement by the Environment Agency which said that kitchen waste collections should be stopped, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs later clarified that organic kitchen waste could be composted as long as it was not contaminated with meat.
The association said that the manual has been published in response to demand from all sectors of the waste management industry as there are many issues surrounding composting which need to be addressed. “Large-scale composting – A practical manual for the UK” should make it easier for people to set up facilities as the guide looks at the legislation that applies to composting.
Sue Essex AM, Minister for the Environment, National Assembly for Wales said: “The manual will be an important tool to assist would-be compost producers and local authorities assess the options for, and requirements of, large scale composting. There are many complex issues that need to be addressed and this Manual provides invaluable information to help expidite composting.”
Dr Jane Gilbert, chief executive of the Composting Association and co-author of the manual said: “Composting in the UK is unique due to the myriad of interrelated issues that need to be addressed and understood before a composting facility can be established. This manual explores these issues and explains them in a way that can be understood by resource managers, local authority officers and the public.”
The guide answers questions that arise when operating a composting facility and will consider what different systems are available. The manual also addresses what markets exist for composts and will look at feedstock sources, collection schemes, site regulation and in-vessel systems.
The Composting Association received funding from Norfolk Environmental Waste Services and the Waste Recycling Group under the landfill tax credit scheme to publish the guide which is available from The Composting Association's website.
Register for free to comment