Biowaste

Waste management in accordance with Latvian regulations is one of the tasks of property managers.

By the end of 2023, all municipalities in Latvia must implement separate collection of biodegradable waste, while in the Pierīga region, this has been mandatory since January 1, 2021, and in Riga since May 20, 2020. Biodegradable waste is categorized into two types based on its origin and processing: biodegradable kitchen waste and biodegradable garden and park waste.

When starting separate collection, property managers play an important role, as they:

1. clarify with the waste management company operating in the municipality (with which the property manager has a contract) or with the municipality about the possibilities and conditions for separate collection of biodegradable kitchen waste:

• Type of containers – specialized containers with air gaps to ensure waste drying and oxidation, thereby reducing odor formation (an example is shown in Image 1), or the type of bags if collection is done using special prepaid bags with labels. In this case, the property manager must purchase a container with a lid from the building maintenance funds to prevent animals and birds from tearing the bags and scattering waste.

1st Image: Special containers for collecting biodegradable waste (240 liters) for apartment residents' kitchen waste (photo: LASA archive)

• Volume (e.g., 240 L, 120 L, 660 L, etc.);

• Frequency of collection (weekly or more often);

• Type of container collection (replacing the clean container with a full one or emptying waste into a collection vehicle and cleaning the container – this is necessary to prevent odors from forming);

• Cost – biodegradable waste is collected for a lower fee than unsorted household waste. The waste management fee can also be reduced by reducing the number of unsorted waste containers, reducing container volume, or collection frequency, depending on the amount of biodegradable waste, which will have its own separate collection container (it can initially be estimated that biodegradable waste makes up 30-40% of unsorted household waste);

• Sorting conditions – what can and cannot be placed in the container;

2. Inform apartment owners and users about the need for separate collection of biodegradable waste, its possibilities, and propose solutions on how to begin the separation;

3. Prepare and send an application to the waste management company for the installation of biodegradable waste containers, specify the location, container volumes, and the number of times per week or month the containers need to be emptied;

4. Conclude an annex to the contract with the waste management company regarding the management of biodegradable waste;

5. Prepare and conclude a contract (sample available in the appendix) with each apartment owner or user for the management of biodegradable waste, including the conditions that must be adhered to in the agreement between the waste management company and the property manager – this will promote residents' responsibility for waste sorting and information sharing;

6. Purchase small containers with lids (ideally 6 or 10 liters) using property maintenance funds – one container per household (apartment), where residents can conveniently store biodegradable kitchen waste (examples shown in Image 2). The transfer of the container to use can be recorded in the contract between the apartment owner or user and the property manager;

7. Organize the placement of containers or bags at a specified time and location for collection by the waste management company.

2nd Image: Bins with lids (10 and 6 liters) for biodegradable kitchen waste (photo: LASA archive)

We remind you that the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to handle biodegradable garden and park waste (leaves, mown grass, twigs) is to compost it on-site in your own area – in the backyard green space! The finished compost, which is essential for plants, should be used on your own property! Property managers should arrange with apartment owners or users for the management of this biodegradable waste:

• Either pay the waste management company for the biodegradable waste (for options on how and at what cost, inquiries should be made with the waste management company or municipality);

• Or store the waste until a municipality's free collection event is organized;

• Or transport it to the collection site;

• Or the residents of the house will compost it themselves – in this case, an agreement should also be made regarding the responsible person who will oversee the composting process.

Composting can be done using commercially available composting bins (examples in Image 3) or by setting up your own composting area. Property managers must inform the waste management company about composting so that the municipality can track the amount of compostable waste.

3rd Image: Composting bins for the garden – 1.2 m³ and 1 m³ (photo: LASA archive)

Property managers, together with the waste management company and the municipality, must inform residents about the need for sorting biodegradable waste and the actions that will take place with the sorted waste.

There are several key conditions to consider when starting the separate collection and processing of biodegradable waste:

1. They make up ~40% of the household waste mass – they are wet and dense. Therefore, even a small volume of this waste is heavy and determines the cost of waste disposal at landfills, which is based on the weight of the waste brought in;

2. They decompose relatively quickly and form various compounds, including those with a strong odor. Therefore, their collection must be done regularly, no less than once a week, and the waste should be stored in specialized containers with air gaps that ensure the waste dries and oxidizes, thus reducing odor formation;

3. When processed with air supply and appropriate moisture levels, they naturally form compost, which provides essential nutrients for plants – primarily carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as trace elements;

4. When processed without air supply, methane gas is produced, which is used similarly to natural gas for heat and electricity generation;

5. Microorganisms, the main agents of these processes, are living beings whose activity is endangered by heavy metals and other waste-type contaminants. Microorganisms need a balanced diet with a specific ratio of carbon, oxygen, and phosphorus, moisture, and air for aerobic processing.

We encourage all multi-apartment building managers to heed these guidelines and successfully start the separate collection and management of biodegradable waste!

Attached is a sample contract here.