Composting

Composting notification

According to Section 41a of the Waste Act, anyone composting food biowaste is obliged to notify the municipal waste management authority of their composter within two months of starting composting. The notification is valid for five years, after which it must be renewed. If composting is stopped before the five-year deadline, a notification must also be made. The municipal waste management authority records the information in a statutory register.

The notifications are used to monitor the implementation of recycling and ensure that inadequate composting does not cause problems with rats, for example. The notification can be made using the attached electronic form (requires identification) or by telephone to the technical action planner.

Notification is not required if the property has a separate collection of biowaste. Notification is also not required if only garden waste and/or dry toilet waste is composted on the property. If the same composter is used by several single-family homes (so-called shared composter), it is sufficient for the composter operator to submit a notification and enter the addresses of other properties using the composter in the additional information.

Biowaste generated in the kitchen must be composted in a composter that is closed, sturdy and well-ventilated. It must also be protected from pests and large enough for the amount of biowaste and the time required for composting. Waste that hinders composting or the use of compost soil must not be placed in the composter. Compost must not be removed from the composter before the waste has decomposed.

Why is composting worthwhile?

Self-composting reduces the environmental impact of waste transport and processing. Composting also saves on waste transport fees. About a third of household waste is biowaste. When it is composted or sorted into separate biowaste collection, the amount of mixed waste is reduced and the mixed waste bin can be emptied less often. Compost soil is rich in nutrients and is therefore ideal for gardening.