An authority on waste management is warning that the UK is falling behind its EU counterparts in implementing legislation to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste going into landfill sites and that the fresh produce industry is largely unaware of the obligations about to be thrust upon it.

According to Steve Murphy of the EcoOrganics project, which is hosted by waste management multi-national Cleanaway, the organic waste processing industry in the UK is in its infancy and so far ill-equipped to deal with the coming demands.

EU member states must reduce the amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill by 25 per cent on 1995 levels in two years, by 35 per cent over the next five years and by 75 per cent by 2013. The effects are likely to flow back up the waste chain to householders, but also to retailers and restaurateurs.

Waste will have to be separated at source and disposed of separately so that biodegradable matter is composted.

"A revolution in the management of organic waste is on the way," said Murphy. "It is not just the EU landfill directive, the animal by-product regulation is on the way and will mean that no animal waste can be composted but must be separated from other bio-degradable waste and disposed of through an in-vessel system," said Murphy. "And the bio-waste directive, which is still only in draft form, will provide a framework for organic waste to be composted and be returned for use in agricultural land."

The problem for the fresh produce trade will be felt most acutely by wholesalers, said Fresh Produce Consortium ceo Doug Henderson: "Most of their waste is unsegregated and goes to landfill, whereas in packhouses, for example it is a lot easier to separate and send for recovery."

Agricultural land will be the biggest end point for the organic waste, but the whole process will affect the cost of growing food warns Murphy. "In any food-producing business, any biodegradable waste that has to be discarded along the way must be processed in line with EU legislation."

The FPC is already working with the National Association of British Market Authorities on a joint initiative.

But there is still much work to be done in the UK."It is a challenging situation and it will be very, very difficult to meet the targets that have been set, but the UK must meet them or face fines of €500,000 a day," said Murphy.

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