What do we see?
Over the years, we see an increase in the disposal of both digestate and compost in Flanders. Digestate disposal peaked in 2022, with a value of almost 1,450,000 tonnes, an increase of 11% compared to 2021. About 817,000 tonnes of it was used on Flemish agricultural land. Almost 400,000 tonnes were exported directly.
For compost, there was a slight decrease in 2022 compared to 2021. The disposal of green compost was lower in 2022, while that of VGF compost was higher.
What’s the aim?
Digestate is an organic fertiliser produced by anaerobic fermentation of organic waste streams, such as manure, food waste or green waste. It is rich in nutrients and micro-organisms and is often used as a soil conditioner and fertiliser in agriculture. Compost is a raw material created by the composting process of organic waste streams such as kitchen and garden waste. By valorising organic waste streams, digestate and compost play an important role in closing cycles, by returning nutrients to agricultural land.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows the amount of digestate and compost disposed of in Flanders. The data comes from Vlaco’s annual report.
