old-fashioned concept of “take, make, dispose”, i.e., the underlying basis of the
linear economy model is being progressively replaced by the idea of circular
economy. Within this new frame, wastes are considered in terms of their reuse,
recycling, recovery, or whether or not their volume can be reduced since they
represent real danger to humankind and the environment (4R approach).
With regard to this, the EU waste policy has evolved over the last 30 years
through a series of environmental action plans and a framework of legislation that
aims to reduce the negative environmental and health impacts and create an energy
and resource-efficient economy. The Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April
1999 specifically addresses the issue of landfilling. It aims at preventing or considerably reducing any negative impact of landfilling on human health and natural
ecosystems and, besides, it has introduced stringent technical requirements for
biowaste landfilling. Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (Waste Framework Directive)
provides a general framework of waste management requirements and sets the basic
waste management definitions for the EU. For instance, it outlines different categories of waste and a hierarchic order of action for waste prevention, management, and
reuse.
According to the classification of wastes by the EU legislation (Directive 2008/
98/EC; Eurostat yearbook 2010) soils and sediments (river-, lake-, or seabed sediments) that are contaminated with hazardous chemicals are classified as hazardous
wastes. Many of these are present on contaminated sites and could pose significant
environmental hazards to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as they are major
sources of pollution, which may result in ecotoxicological effects.
23.2 General Principles of Composting of Organic Wastes
Composting is a process fully compliant with the 4R approach as it implies the
volumetric and quantitative reduction of wastes; it promotes the recycling of elements within the composting substrates, and it eventually generates a product that
can be reused on agricultural fields and in other applications (Manderson 2009).
Over the last decades composting has become increasingly important as a management option for the biowastes arising from the most diverse human activities.
Reports on waste management strategies from both world-leading economies and
developing countries have confirmed this trend.
The present section will provide an overview of the technological development
this technology has achieved so far and a description of the characteristic phases of
composting with an analysis of the key parameters affecting the process. The
considerations made here will be useful to the reader in view of the next section
(s) where the composting process or the application of its final product (compost) are
presented as bioremediation approaches.
23 Composting Practices for the Remediation of Matrices Contaminated by. . .
469
linear economy model is being progressively replaced by the idea of circular
economy. Within this new frame, wastes are considered in terms of their reuse,
recycling, recovery, or whether or not their volume can be reduced since they
represent real danger to humankind and the environment (4R approach).
With regard to this, the EU waste policy has evolved over the last 30 years
through a series of environmental action plans and a framework of legislation that
aims to reduce the negative environmental and health impacts and create an energy
and resource-efficient economy. The Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April
1999 specifically addresses the issue of landfilling. It aims at preventing or considerably reducing any negative impact of landfilling on human health and natural
ecosystems and, besides, it has introduced stringent technical requirements for
biowaste landfilling. Directive 2008/98/EC on waste (Waste Framework Directive)
provides a general framework of waste management requirements and sets the basic
waste management definitions for the EU. For instance, it outlines different categories of waste and a hierarchic order of action for waste prevention, management, and
reuse.
According to the classification of wastes by the EU legislation (Directive 2008/
98/EC; Eurostat yearbook 2010) soils and sediments (river-, lake-, or seabed sediments) that are contaminated with hazardous chemicals are classified as hazardous
wastes. Many of these are present on contaminated sites and could pose significant
environmental hazards to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as they are major
sources of pollution, which may result in ecotoxicological effects.
23.2 General Principles of Composting of Organic Wastes
Composting is a process fully compliant with the 4R approach as it implies the
volumetric and quantitative reduction of wastes; it promotes the recycling of elements within the composting substrates, and it eventually generates a product that
can be reused on agricultural fields and in other applications (Manderson 2009).
Over the last decades composting has become increasingly important as a management option for the biowastes arising from the most diverse human activities.
Reports on waste management strategies from both world-leading economies and
developing countries have confirmed this trend.
The present section will provide an overview of the technological development
this technology has achieved so far and a description of the characteristic phases of
composting with an analysis of the key parameters affecting the process. The
considerations made here will be useful to the reader in view of the next section
(s) where the composting process or the application of its final product (compost) are
presented as bioremediation approaches.
23 Composting Practices for the Remediation of Matrices Contaminated by. . .
469