New regulations could “cripple smaller composters”

The amendments out last week state that the tonnage capacity threshold above which a composting operation requires a full waste management licence is now 400 tonnes – a reduction to the 600 tonnes allowed before.

The rule was laid before the Scottish Parliament last week and will come into force in January 2005. A Defra briefing this week said that similar regulations for England and Wales were expected “to be laid in Parliament at the next legislative opportunity, in autumn”.

Tony Breton, communications manager at The Composting Association agreed that the 400 tonnes rule poses a big threat to smaller composting businesses:

“A full waste management licence costs around 2,000-3,000, plus there's the extra costs endured implementing changes at the site to comply with regulations.” He added that it was possible this could mean a cost of up to 10,000.

He said that composters would “need to be producing around 7,000-8,000 tonnes of compost to make paying for a license viable, which smaller composters aren't.”

The Defra briefing explained that more legislation was needed in the composting industry: because “it has been documented that composting, even on a small scale, carries certain risks….They consequently require a level of regulation.”

Mr Scott said that smaller composters are already given a wealth of information and advice on running a site safely.

Big companies

But Dr Stephen Wise – composting manager at SITA – who produce 200,000 tonnes of compost every year said the rule would help to put composters on a “level playing field and strengthen the industry.”

He said that because a full waste management licence would mean regular inspection by the Environment Agency, he fully welcomed the proposals. “The more we're having to operate professionally as an industry, the better.”

Mr Wise explained that, at the moment, if farmers in England and Wales wish to set up a composting operation they can do this under the current exemptions without having to put in the same costly infrastructure and measures as larger composters.

“They could be producing 15,000 tonnes a year and not have to endure the capital costs needed to comply with the waste management licensing regulations. This means they can charge less and undercut us in tenders for local authority contracts.”