Agroeconomia Croatica, Vol. 14 No. 1, 2024.
Professional paper
Composting as a Part of Circular Economy: Experiences of the Herešin Composting Plant
Lari Hadelan
orcid.org/0000-0002-8499-0771
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb
Evita Nekret-Katić
; Studentica studija Agrarna ekonomika, Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet
Magdalena Zrakić Sušac
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu Agronomski fakultet, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb
Saša Grubačević
; Gradsko komunalno poduzeće Komunalac d.o.o., Koprivnica, Direktor sektora gospodarenja otpadom
Abstract
A biowaste from the households, restaurants, and the food industry, as well as a biodegradable waste from the gardens and parks, poses a threat to the environment but is also an important resource for agricultural production. In the European Union (EU), composting is the leading method for an efficient biowaste management, which transforms it into compost, organic fertilizer, and soil conditioner while significantly reducing a greenhouse-gas emission and a risk of water pollution. The aim of this paper was (a) to describe the system of biowaste management in the EU and the role of a composting plant in it and (b) to present the key factors of operation of the Herešin Composting Plant in the vicinity of Koprivnica. In addition to the content analysis and description of waste-management practices in Croatia and the EU, the paper also applied an interview method with a representative of the Herešin Composting Plant. In Croatia, approximately 20% of biowaste was recycled in 2022, which is twice as much as the EU average. As in the EU, the leading form of biowaste recycling in Croatia is composting, which is performed in twelve Croatian composting plants. One of the newer composting plants is the Herešin Composting Plant, which has been in operation in the vicinity of Koprivnica since 2021. According to an interview with its representative, this composting plant is characterized by its financial self-sufficiency, as it generates sufficient revenue to cover all operating costs.
Keywords
circular economy, biowaste, compost, description, interview
Hrčak ID:
319686
URI
Publication date:
20.7.2024.
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