Patricia Martín. Agroenginer in Environmental Management
Presented in 4th Forum for Municipal Waste Prevention, organized by Ageny of Waste of Catalonia, and I Meeting of the Spanish composting network.

Paper in spanish language.

Download a slide presentation in this link
http://www.arc.cat/ca/publicacions/pdf/ccr/4j_prevenciorm/programa.pdf


Treatment of biowaste collected by means of compostable bags has several advantages.

Thus, we present the compostable plastic bag and also the ventilated system, as the combination of compostable bag and small ventilated buckets, for the biowaste separate collection.

From the results of the biowaste quality characterizations in Catalonia and from other sources, this paper shows that food waste collected by means of compostable bags is of higher quality and not only for the bag itself, but for other changes it entails.

The bag biodegradates during the composting process, and allows reducing part of the refuse generated in the treatment plant.

A high biowaste quality with a low percentage of impurities is compatible with a biological treatment of maximum technological simplicity (specially in pre-treatment and post-treatment), and in consequence, with a lower investment cost, getting a final compost of higher quality.

The ventilated system, thanks to the transpiration of compostable bags, reduces the weight of the organic waste due to the evaporation of part of its water content.

Therefore, less leachate is generated in the composting plant and that makes the collection and transport of this fraction easier. The anaerobic fermentations and the accumulation of condensed water steam are also reduced, and this avoids nuisance for citizens and makes possible a higher citizens participation in the biowaste separation.

See document