SCOW (Selective Collection of the Organic Waste in tourist areas and valorisation in farm composting

The SCOW launch conference took place in Barcelona (11-12 June 2013). The aim of SCOW is to develop low cost, technically simple and high quality biowaste collection and recycling models in territories with touristic areas and agricultural activity. The launching conference was the public kick-off meeting of the project, presenting, among other things the study on "Decentralised biowaste management models". ACR+MED participated in the conference and provided a presentation on "Context needs and biowaste management models in the Mediterranean".

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The aim of SCOW, funded by the ENPI CBCMED Programme, is to develop low cost, technically simple and high quality biowaste collection and recycling models in territories with touristic areas and agricultural activity. SCOW wants to build up a sustainable, innovative and local treatment of the biowaste in decentralized small-scale composting plants, developed essentially in agricultural holdings situated near the biowaste production areas in the partners’ territories.

It will contribute to improve general waste management, closing the cycle of the organic matter in countries with an important lack of organic carbon at soil. It will also help to improve land structure and fertility, reducing desertification (applying compost to soils), global warming (avoiding the entrance of biodegradable materials to landfills and capturing carbon in soil) and landfilling capacity needs (reducing waste entrance). In addition, it will create new economic activity, even at waste collection and treatment sectors and compost selling.  The experience would be able to be reproduced in other Mediterranean zones, reducing impacts at source, through a simple management of the biowaste collection and treatment with the idea of self-sufficiency.