Manon Jourdan
Implementation Officer
Zero Waste Europe
Belgium
manon@zerowasteeurope.eu
A powerful but underappreciated climate fix is in our kitchen bins. Across the Baltic Sea region, most food scraps like potato peels and coffee grounds are still dumped or burned, releasing methane emissions or CO2 while wasting valuable resources. Globally, landfills generate about 10% of human-caused methane emissions—a major climate hit for something as mundane as rotting food.
When properly treated, bio-waste transforms into high-quality compost or digestate that nourishes soils, fertilises crops, and contributes to carbon sequestration. Yet in the EU, only 26% of available kitchen waste is collected separately and composted. Of the 60 million tonnes of kitchen waste produced annually in Europe, only 15 million tonnes are properly recycled.
Every discarded food scrap represents a missed opportunity to reduce emissions and replenish soils. Currently, 60-70% of European soils are classified as unhealthy, and nearly half suffer from low organic matter content—a concerning reality given that food security depends on soil quality.
With optimised collection, we could capture up to 35 million additional tonnes of bio-waste. Achieving the EU's 65% recycling target by 2035 would double the area benefiting from compost application, contributing to healthier soils and more sustainable agriculture. High-quality compost and digestate reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers, most of which are imported from Russia.
This is particularly relevant for the Baltic Sea—one of the world's most polluted seas—where agricultural nutrient runoff drives eutrophication. Increasing compost and digestate production could help mitigate this pollution while improving soil health.
Separating kitchen waste also improves recycling efficiency. Yet many EU member states struggle with separate collection, and parts of the Baltics lack the infrastructure to process bio-waste. Not coincidentally, these countries also rank among Europe's top waste burners, creating a harmful dependency on incineration.
This gap can only be bridged through improved bio-waste management. Encouragingly, evidence shows that well-designed systems can quickly boost both the quantity and quality of collected bio-waste. Sharing best practices, such as Milan's 87.5% separate collection rate, can help lagging cities catch up.
Progress is emerging across the Baltic region. By 2022, Denmark required all municipalities to implement separate collection. Estonia made door-to-door collection or home composting mandatory by 2023. Finland extended door-to-door bio-waste collection to all housing properties in centres with more than 10,000 inhabitants.
However, the EU's separate collection mandate alone is insufficient. Without proper guidance, binding targets, and effective monitoring, underperforming systems will persist. Some countries lack treatment capacity, such as anaerobic digestion plants or composting facilities, to process increased organic flows. Research conducted within the LIFE BIOBEST project reveals several strategies to close regulatory gaps and transform bio-waste management across all governance levels:
When properly treated, bio-waste transforms into high-quality compost or digestate that nourishes soils, fertilises crops, and contributes to carbon sequestration. Yet in the EU, only 26% of available kitchen waste is collected separately and composted. Of the 60 million tonnes of kitchen waste produced annually in Europe, only 15 million tonnes are properly recycled.
Every discarded food scrap represents a missed opportunity to reduce emissions and replenish soils. Currently, 60-70% of European soils are classified as unhealthy, and nearly half suffer from low organic matter content—a concerning reality given that food security depends on soil quality.
With optimised collection, we could capture up to 35 million additional tonnes of bio-waste. Achieving the EU's 65% recycling target by 2035 would double the area benefiting from compost application, contributing to healthier soils and more sustainable agriculture. High-quality compost and digestate reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers, most of which are imported from Russia.
This is particularly relevant for the Baltic Sea—one of the world's most polluted seas—where agricultural nutrient runoff drives eutrophication. Increasing compost and digestate production could help mitigate this pollution while improving soil health.
Separating kitchen waste also improves recycling efficiency. Yet many EU member states struggle with separate collection, and parts of the Baltics lack the infrastructure to process bio-waste. Not coincidentally, these countries also rank among Europe's top waste burners, creating a harmful dependency on incineration.
This gap can only be bridged through improved bio-waste management. Encouragingly, evidence shows that well-designed systems can quickly boost both the quantity and quality of collected bio-waste. Sharing best practices, such as Milan's 87.5% separate collection rate, can help lagging cities catch up.
Progress is emerging across the Baltic region. By 2022, Denmark required all municipalities to implement separate collection. Estonia made door-to-door collection or home composting mandatory by 2023. Finland extended door-to-door bio-waste collection to all housing properties in centres with more than 10,000 inhabitants.
However, the EU's separate collection mandate alone is insufficient. Without proper guidance, binding targets, and effective monitoring, underperforming systems will persist. Some countries lack treatment capacity, such as anaerobic digestion plants or composting facilities, to process increased organic flows. Research conducted within the LIFE BIOBEST project reveals several strategies to close regulatory gaps and transform bio-waste management across all governance levels:
- Implementing higher landfill and incineration gate fees coupled with strategic disposal taxes to level the playing field for proper bio-waste management and encourage investments in efficient collection and treatment methods.
- Establishing binding targets for the quantity and quality of bio-waste captured, alongside robust data monitoring, to accelerate adoption of effective practices.
- Prioritising communication and citizen engagement—even the best-designed system fails if residents don't understand why and how to participate. Municipalities that invest in communication while providing user-friendly tools like kitchen caddies and compostable bags have demonstrated notable increases in collection rates.
This decade is decisive for climate action. Diverting organics from landfills and incinerators offers a quick, cost-effective way to reduce GhG emissions. The Baltic Sea would benefit from reduced nutrient leaching into waterways, mitigating pollution. The region has an opportunity to demonstrate a truly circular future where organic resources return to enrich both the economy and soil, completing nature's intended cycle.
Transforming waste systems requires coordination and upfront investment, but the goal is achievable. With EU regulations in effect, every day of delay means more methane emissions and wasted resources. Policymakers, businesses, and citizens must collaborate to enforce mandates, invest in composting infrastructure, develop biogas capacity, and embrace zero-waste practices. The Baltic region can transform today's leftovers into tomorrow's fertiliser, fuel, and climate solutions - proving that what we call "bio-waste" is actually a valuable resource awaiting its proper use.
Transforming waste systems requires coordination and upfront investment, but the goal is achievable. With EU regulations in effect, every day of delay means more methane emissions and wasted resources. Policymakers, businesses, and citizens must collaborate to enforce mandates, invest in composting infrastructure, develop biogas capacity, and embrace zero-waste practices. The Baltic region can transform today's leftovers into tomorrow's fertiliser, fuel, and climate solutions - proving that what we call "bio-waste" is actually a valuable resource awaiting its proper use.