Leaving the technology to market forces has resulted in grave public distrust of the processes and products. Until recently, most UK operations used the relatively low-tech. These installations cost very much more to install and processors need a fairly well guaranteed market prior to embarking upon them, since the resultant compost will naturally need to fetch a higher price to cover a pay-back. The quality of the end product will clearly reflect that of the raw waste. There is no doubt however, that the product obtained from composting mixed waste is inferior to that from segregated material.
Buyers are clearly unhappy about metals and plastics content.
Without substantial support for collection and processing plant, either by fiscal measures to force the issue, e.g. further increase in landfill taxes, any major increase in production, hence sale, of high quality waste-derived compost is unlikely. This crowded island is less well suited to such activities than the countries on the mainland of Europe. One possible conclusion from the foregoing discussion, is to suggest that a greater emphasis should be placed upon the expanded generation of biogas by anaerobic digestion, which produces a lower quality of compost, but suitable for landscaping, horticulture and forestry purposes. This section is particularly disappointing and shows a lack of knowledge of what has already been achieved in the UK and elsewhere. There has been much misinformation put out on this issue and we would have expected the Government to have put forward positive facts on what has been achieved rather than repeating many of the fancies.