The department appears to have left it up to local authorities themselves to decide what to do until the rules change next year. There is widespread concern within local authorities over the matter with several questions being asked but so far unanswered by the department. These include whether in the meantime materials should simply be landfilled, and is there any hazard posed from the use of kitchen waste. Also under discussion is whether councils will have any financial liability for kitchen waste that has been collected for composting, in that compost containing the kitchen material may now have to be landfilled.
For information we reproduce the DEFRA briefing note below.
DEFRA Briefing Note on Composting
This briefing note has been issued to clarify the position on the collection of municipal waste for composting and its use on land.
Background
The government strongly supports the composting of waste, this is a vital component of meeting the waste strategy targets set for recycling and composting and targets under the Landfill Directive to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste. The waste strategy made clear that the government sees a need for a significant expansion in capacity for the composting of waste over the next decade. It is a key objective of government to increase the amount of the organic waste stream which is composted and the government has set targets to recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste by 2005, rising to at least 33% by 2015.
Composting is classified as a waste recovery operation under the Waste Framework Directive. In practice, this means that it is carried out under a waste management licence issued by the Environment Agency or a licensing exemption registered with the Agency. The objective of both types of control is to ensure that the composting of waste is carried out in a way which promotes the environment and human health. Composting is carried out with the aim of producing a substance (compost) which is no longer waste.
Compost can be used as a soil conditioner, to improve soil structure and to enhance its biological activity, and a growing medium for the horticultural industry. The use of composts reduces harmful emissions of the greenhouse gas methane from landfills, it reduces the need for scarce natural resources such as pear and it returns organic matter to the soil.
Sources of municipal waste for composting
The majority (92% in 1998) of municipal waste comprised green wastes collected from civic amenity sites or local authority parks and gardens, with only 7% of organic municipal wastes collected at the kerbside.
Use of compost from “green waste”
Where green waste has been properly composted and is no longer waste then there are no restriction on its use on land.
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