**Abstract**

Waste management is one of the main environmental problems that municipalities have to address. The fulfilment of the recycling objectives imposed by the European Community requires the segregation and treatment of the municipal bio-waste. Pontevedra Provincial Council started in 2015 an innovative plan, called REVITALIZA, for the recycling of bio-waste through the promotion of composting in municipalities. REVITALIZA, which is developed in different phases, advocates the implementation of local composting (home and community composting) and small composting facilities, so that the generation of waste and the economic and environmental costs of its collection and transport are reduced. The plan is a pioneer in the training of technical personnel in the area of bio-waste management. Currently, 36 municipalities are participating in REVITALIZA in different phases of the plan, committed to locally managing bio-waste.

**Keywords:** composting, bio-waste, recycling, decentralized waste management, community composting centre, master composter

## **1. Introduction**

Municipal waste generation in the European Union (EU) is estimated around 246,515 thousand tonnes in 2016, so the amount generated per person amounted to 483 kg [1]. Municipal waste represents only around 10% of total waste generated in the EU. However, its heterogeneous composition and universal distribution as well as the economic cost that the collection and treatment of this waste involve especially for small and dispersed local authorities—cause a complex management and a high risk of environmental and socioeconomic impact in response to inadequate handling. Municipal waste management varies significantly across the EU member states. While Germany sent to landfill 2% and recycled and composted 66% of total municipal waste, countries such as Greece, Cyprus or Malta sent to landfill over 80% of municipal waste [1]. Municipal waste prevention and reuse, through responsible consumption, separation into the different elements found in waste streams and an appropriate management of these fractions, bring social and environmental benefits (priority hierarchy for solid waste management, [2]). The municipal waste management practices affect citizens: economic (waste collection fee) and environmental impacts (emissions and indirect system effects), but

 also more diffuse effects such as the physical connection with waste management through the design of the collection system and the psychological effect of the localization of waste management facilities [3]. The management of municipal waste must improve in order to move towards more sustainable systems, in accordance with the criteria of circular economy and with the involvement of citizens. European legislation and policy establish the necessary actions in order to ensure proper application of the waste hierarchy, turning waste into resources as a priority. The Waste Framework Directive sets a target of 50% of municipal waste to be prepared for reuse or recycled by 2020 in EU member states, progressively increasing this target up to 65% by weight by the year 2035 [2, 4]. Bio-waste, as part of municipal waste, is defined as biodegradable garden and park waste; food and kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers and retail premises and comparable waste from food processing plants. The content of bio-waste in municipal waste differs considerably between EU member states (20–80%); the implementation of separate collection and the treatment system of this biodegradable fraction also vary widely [5]. In general, by 31 December 2023, bio-waste must be either separated and recycled at source, or collected separately and not mixed with other types of waste [4]. Bio-waste is a valuable organic resource with a high potential for recycling and reuse, producing valuable products such as fertilizers or biogas. However, inefficient and neglected management can generate bio-waste breakdown and pollution, reducing the efficiency of subsequent treatment operations and generating human health and environmental impacts.

 Around 20,585 thousand tonnes of municipal waste were generated in Spain in 2016, 57% sent to landfill and 30% recycled and composted, values far from the objectives established by the EU. Assuming that about 40% of municipal waste is bio-waste, this means that 8234 thousand tonnes of bio-waste were generated in Spain. In general, bio-waste is not source-separated and it is estimated that only 8% of this biodegradable waste is collected separately [6]. According to the 'Proximity Principle' of the EU, waste should be treated and disposed off close to where it was produced. Public administrations responsible for waste management should promote the local treatment of bio-waste. Food waste degrades quickly, generating leachates and odours, so reducing the waste treatment time prevents undesirable situations. Composting is an economically accessible and appropriate option, since it can be carried out at different scales with a simple and low-cost technology, which allows its location in places close to bio-waste producer. Composting is a controlled bio-oxidative process, which develops on heterogeneous organic substrates in solid state, due to the sequential activity of a great diversity of microorganisms. The process enables organic waste to be transformed into biologically stable materials called compost. The compost can be used as an amendment and/or soil fertilizer and as a substrate for plant growth, closing nutrient cycles. Due to the composition of municipal waste, source segregation of bio-waste at household level must ensure a material without other waste streams. Only the biodegradable fraction free from impurities can be used as input for composting to obtain a high-quality compost that is environmentally safe for use. Good waste segregation requires active participation of the citizens.

Actions that promote bio-waste segregation and the use of the most appropriate treatment options to obtain quality products, such as compost, must be prioritized in order to comply with current regulations and respect the environment. In this way, the implementation of new municipal models of organic waste management through composting is growing exponentially [7]. The decentralized management of biodegradable waste consists in on-site treatment (home composting, community composting and small composting facilities), while centralized management involves collection from the site of producer's deposit and transport to a central treatment facility.

*Towards the Recycling of Bio-Waste: The Case of Pontevedra, Spain (REVITALIZA) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.83576* 

In this sense, to change the centralized model of waste management in the province of Pontevedra, a composting plan is developed. This plan is based on the promotion and implementation of bio-waste composting with the criteria of population distribution and the prioritization of the principle of proximity in waste management. It includes an important effort in the awareness and training of citizens, as well as the training of professionals and experts in waste management in general, and the composting process in particular. The municipalities of the province of Pontevedra drive their efforts towards a decentralized model of bio-waste management.
