In Prague, interest in sorting organic waste has increased significantly, brown bins are free
Collection of brown bins for organic waste. Photo source: Prague services
Over 30,000 applicants from family and apartment buildings, which represents up to 200,000 households, already use a brown container for sorting vegetable bio-waste in Prague. This is the conclusion of the capital city’s decision, which significantly improved conditions since the beginning of this year. This was reported by the spokesperson of the municipality, Vít Hofman, and the spokesperson of the collection company Pražská služby Radim Mana (PSAS).
From January 2022, interested parties from the community of unit owners, housing cooperatives or owners of family houses can simply apply electronically for a bio-bin for plant waste. In addition, they get this for free. Thanks to this approach, Metropole sorts and recycles more plant-based bio-waste, which is used to create compost.
“We are pleased that thanks to the biowaste sorting project, Prague is succeeding in reducing the amount of mixed municipal waste. This part of the bio-waste does not have to end up in an incinerator and can be used as a valuable material. The more residents sort, the more they can reduce the costs of collecting their mixed waste,” said Deputy Minister for the Environment Jana Plamínková (STAN).
Since it is not yet possible to dispose of all bio-waste from Prague households, a substantial expansion of the bio-waste sorting service is therefore being prepared to include the possibility of sorting all kitchen bio-waste, not just vegetable waste. In preparation, there is also the possibility to sort animal remains or food remains.
According to Plamínková, the metropolis will then produce compressed natural gas (CNG) from this sorted bio-waste in the biogas station, which the city has already acquired and is renovating for its needs. The plan is also to introduce so-called multi-commodity collection, i.e. joint collection of plastics, metals and tetrapak in one container.
“The purity of the collected plant biowaste is essential for its further processing in compost plants. Sometimes, however, it can happen that something ends up in the brown containers that does not belong there, and the entire contents can thus deteriorate,” said Radim Mana.
What belongs in the brown bio-bin for plant waste?
grass
leaves
weed
broomsticks
remains of plants, fruits, vegetables
tropical fruits and bananas
tea waste
paper tea bag
coffee grounds (without filter)
substrate and potting soil
sod with soil (no stones)
twigs
wood chips and sawdust
clean sawdust and shavings
clean hay and straw
nut shells
seeds
bark
needles, pine cones
mushrooms, moss
moldy biowaste mentioned above
Source: PSAS