COLLECTION AND UTILIZATION OF MUNICIPAL GARDEN GREEN WASTE IN HUNGARY: A FOCUS ON COMPOSTING

DUDÁS GYULA – KOVÁCS CSABA JÓZSEF – DARVASNÉ ÖRDÖG EDIT – KÜRTHY GYÖNGYI

Keywords: Keywords: waste management, environmental policy, organic material recycling, soil management JEL codes: Q01, Q18, Q58

Teljes cikk
The European Union places strong emphasis on advancing the circular economy, particularly through the sustainable management of biodegradable municipal waste. A significant component of this waste stream is garden green waste, which is primarily processed through composting. We conducted an exploratory study involving industry stakeholders, municipalities, and residents to gain a comprehensive understanding of garden green waste collection and composting practices in Hungary. Composting facilities are primary established in Hungary to process garden green waste and sewage sludge at the local or regional level. In municipalities where no organized garden green waste management system exists, this is typically due to residents managing their on garden waste or municipalities face financial barriers that hinder system implementation. The quality of compost depends not only on the applied technology but also on the quality of raw materials and collection methods. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on improving the public awareness of collection. Despite the well-documented benefits of compost – such as enhancing soil organic matter and improving soil structure – its use in agriculture remains relatively limited. While farmers express interest in sustainable soil management, compost cannot fully replace synthetic fertilizers. The recycling of garden green waste into compost is primarily driven by environmental and waste management considerations. However, under current market conditions, the operation of such systems remains economically unprofitable for municipalities and composting facilities without financial incentives or policy-driven support. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53079/GAZDALKODAS.69.4.t.pp_301-318