Even when talking about waste sorting, one gets the feeling that a large number of people consider the sorting of plastic packaging, paper and glass as “serious” sorting, but the separate collection of bio-waste is perceived as a symbolic activity of green activists, making compost for flowers. Meanwhile, in the discussions of waste management professionals, it is repeated again and again: biowaste sorting is the basis of a modern waste management system. It is not for nothing that the countries of the European Union have agreed that from 2024 the management of this waste at the point of origin or separate collection is mandatory.
To understand why professionals think so, it is enough to look in your own kitchen: about a third of all the waste we create is bio-waste. Now only 2% of all collected waste is separately collected bio-waste. I regularly point out the improvements in Riga’s separate collection – if in 2020 we collected 19% of our waste separately, then in 2022 we will already collect almost 30% separately.
We will no longer be able to significantly increase the amount of sorted waste by continuing to sort plastic packaging, paper and glass more diligently, as we already collect a large part of these materials separately. We can significantly increase the volumes of separate collection only by separating bio-waste.
By seriously sorting bio-waste, we can increase the proportion of our separately collected waste up to 50% and more. If already now SIA Getlini EKO sees a sharp drop in the amount of unsorted household waste, bio-waste separation would reduce it even more.
Bio-waste separation also improves unsorted waste containers – both in our homes and throughout the entire waste management chain. Bio-waste is what creates the unpleasant aromas. By separating this part of the waste and taking it out often enough, we can reduce not only the odors, but also the frequency of unsorted waste removal. As we separate bio-waste, our unsorted waste becomes drier, but we can recover more materials from dry unsorted waste. It’s not the same as trying to pick cardboard mixed with banana peels and apple cores, or materials from dry waste. The remaining waste, which is not suitable for processing, can also be directed to the production of high-quality energy – it has a higher calorific value and lower moisture content. They could replace the waste that is imported to Latvia for burning in cement production facilities, because the quality of local waste is not good enough.
Bio-waste is used to create gas and compost. Since we do not separate bio-waste enough, currently SIA Getlini EKO in the tunnels, biowaste mechanically separated from unsorted waste is mostly used for gas generation. Although the volumes of gas produced are not affected by such mechanical separation, the resulting compost is so bad that it is impossible to use it outside the landfill area. If we separate the bio-waste already at home, then the final result will not get stuck in the landfill, but can be returned to nature and reduce the amount of waste remaining in the landfill.
The experience of other countries shows that it is possible to rapidly increase the separate collection of bio-waste, but it requires a clear political will and the joint work of many involved parties. In the case of Riga and Latvia, several steps are required.
- First, bio-waste containers should be made mandatory for certain apartment buildings. The achieved increase in the separate collection of plastic packaging, paper and glass in Riga has been achieved by defining the separate collection containers for this waste as mandatory. It is logical – if people have access to infrastructure, sorting volumes increase. We are already talking with house managers and other involved parties and are preparing changes to the binding regulations of the Riga City Council, which would ensure the possibility of sorting bio-waste for as many residents of Riga as possible.
- Second, people should be given the option of using bioplastic or paper bags for their disposal. The bags also reduce odors in the summer and prevent materials from freezing in the container in the winter. As shown by the experience of other countries and also the pilot project conducted in Riga, if people have the opportunity to dispose of bio-waste in bags and these bags are conveniently available, the volume of separately collected bio-waste increases rapidly. The most convenient way to provide people with bags for the collection of bio-waste is to replace all the bags in the store with those suitable for the separate collection of bio-waste.
- Thirdly, a broad campaign is needed to explain to people why and how to separate bio-waste. It may be easier than it may seem at first. For many years, I have been talking about packaging sorting, about which citizens still have many questions. It is much easier to explain what bio-waste is – all the food scraps from our kitchen and the leaves and grass in our garden.
- Fourth, the sorting of biowaste must be economically viable. Currently, the Law on Waste Management stipulates that the tariff for bio-waste must be 80% of the tariff for unsorted household waste. In the near future, this difference will be increased to 60%.
The author is a member of the Riga City Council (For!/PROGRESSIVES)
