Thumbs up for test drive of organic waste recycling programme on Formentera

The Formentera Council's Office of Environment reports that from June to September, a four-month pilot programme across fifty businesses and other establishments in Sant Francesc meant that 100 tonnes of organic waste were collected for recycling.

The list of participants included bars, cafés, hotels, supermarkets, a hospital and a school — all considered producers of substantial quantities of waste. Each one was given special, small bins which crews picked up on nightly door-to-door collection runs.

Environment secretary Daisee Aguilera thanked participating businesses for their efforts, which made for a savings of €167 per tonne —or €16,700 over all— by reducing the waste that is treated and shipped to Eivissa.

Compost
Councillor Aguilera pointed to other benefits too, like a programme at the Formentera treatment plant that will supply local farms with compost. Organic matter and a special mixture of tree clippings to add structure are allowed to mature during a four-month process that ultimately produces compost for farmers of the island.

According to Aguilera the idea behind the initiative —repurposing organic waste to create a product apt for local fields— is “zero waste production”. Council personnel with specialist training have described the quality of the compost (participants are urged to set aside organic waste alone) as “very good”.

The €80,000 programme is paid for by the Formentera Council and a €32,000 grant by the Leader group. On the back of the programme's bumper response, the Council is studying expanding the organic rubbish recycling programme across other “big rubbish producers” on the island.