(best examples and good practices) on household organic waste ...

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1. Bio-WASTE MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION
FRAMEWORK
The first step on the management of biodegradable waste is the “GREEN
PAPER” which sets the base up on which the “EU Legislation Framework” for
this type of waste is built. This Section aims to provide a comprehensive
description related to the priorities <strong>and</strong> principles of the existing European
Union (EU) environmental policy on the management of Bio-waste. The
relevant legislative framework is presented briefly below.
1.1 GREEN PAPER (Brussels, 3.12.2008 COM (2008) 811 final) {SEC
(2008) 2936}
According to the “GREEN PAPER” on the management of Bio-waste in the
European Union, Bio-waste is defined as biodegradable garden <strong>and</strong> park waste,
food <strong>and</strong> kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers <strong>and</strong> retail
premises, <strong>and</strong> comparable waste from food processing plants. It does not
include forestry or agricultural residues, manure, sewage sludge or other
biodegradable waste such as natural textiles, paper or processed wood. It also
excludes those by-products of food production that never become waste.
The total annual arising of bio-waste in the EU according to Eurostat data on
municipal waste (2008), is estimated up to (76.5-102 Mt) food <strong>and</strong> garden waste
included in mixed municipal solid waste <strong>and</strong> up to (37 Mt) from the food <strong>and</strong>
drink industry. Bio-waste is a putrescible, generally wet waste. There are two
major streams: green waste from parks, gardens etc. <strong>and</strong> kitchen waste. The
former includes usually 50-60% water <strong>and</strong> more wood (lignocelluloses), the
latter contains no wood but up to 80% water.
Nowadays, there are many different policies that apply to the management of
Bio-waste, applied to many countries, though the aim of their effort is to reduce
the quantity <strong>and</strong> give a final waste with a better quality, with less
microorganisms <strong>and</strong> less toxicity to the environment. Bio-waste seems to be the
type of waste to be used most in the future for the production of better quality
compost <strong>and</strong> Green –energy.
1.1.2Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament <strong>and</strong> of the Council of 19
November 2008 on waste <strong>and</strong> repealing certain Directives
According to this revised directive, all types of waste should be treated in a way
that reassures the environmental protection, while the human health must be