This survey analyses bio-waste collection systems in Europe to support the implementation of decentralised micro-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) units. The study focuses on food waste from households and catering services, as these streams are widely available yet underutilised and particularly suitable for decentralised valorisation.
The report is structured in three parts. First, it identifies critical environmental, social, and technical factors influencing bio-waste collection, recognising the complexity of stakeholder involvement and infrastructure requirements. Second, it evaluates current collection systems across six DECISIVE countries—Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain—with a more detailed assessment of Catalonia. The analysis highlights significant variations between countries, regions, and municipalities, including differences in door-to-door and bring systems, as well as accepted waste fractions.
Third, the report develops a classification framework for decentralised bio-waste collection chains, structured across three interdependent levels: the bio-waste level (types and properties of locally available waste), the bio-waste generator level (initial storage and collection), and the bio-waste caretaker level (subsequent storage and handling). The survey provides the foundation for the DECISIVE decision-support tool, while also identifying data gaps and the need for location-specific evaluations when transitioning to decentralised systems.
Publication year: 2018
Language: EN
Published by: DECISIVE
Keywords: decentralised bio-waste management, food waste collection, micro-scale anaerobic digestion, waste collection chains, door-to-door systems, bring systems, decision-support framework, urban bio-waste valorisation, collection system evaluation, local waste governance
