Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
organic wastes. Use of digestate as biofertilizer contributes to resource
preservation through the recycling of organic matter and nutrients, such as
phosphorus, a highly limited fossil resource on our planet. As digestate is
often utilized as fertilizer for crops dedicated to food and feed production,
its quality directly impacts on food quality and food safety. The demand for
quality necessarily implies the existence of a unified approach and a system
of quality parameters. In the case of digestate, legal frameworks for the
implementation of quality standards contribute to the development of a
sound and stable market for this product, raising confidence in its quality
and suitability. The quality of digestate can be further improved by
conditioning through digestate processing. Although digestate processing
means additional investments, operation and maintenance costs, the
possibility of improving digestate quality, transportability and marketability
are important incentives. Digestate is a good product, suitable for many
kinds of utilizations. Recycling as biofertilizer is by far the most sustainable
utilization of digestate. Quality-assured digestate, applied as fertilizer in line
with the best agricultural practices, allows achievement of long-term benefits
that outweigh the potential risks (Al Seadi and Lukehurst, 2012).
12.6 Sources of further information and advice
Digestate quality
Al Seadi T and Lukehurst C (2012) Quality management of digestate from biogas
plants. IEA Bioenergy, Task 37. Available from: www.iea-biogas.net/-
download/publi-task 37/digestate_quality_Web_new.pdf [Accessed 12 October
2012].
European Communities (2008) End of waste criteria. Available from: http://susproc.
jrc.ec.europa.eu/documents/Endofwastecriteriafinal.pdf [Accessed 7 February
2012].
Paavola T and Rintala J (2008) Effects of storage on characteristics and hygienic
quality of digestates from four co-digestion concepts of manure and biowaste.
Bioresource Technology 99(15): 7041-7050.
Pesaro F, Sorg I and Metier (1995) In situ inactivation of animal viruses and a
colophage in nonaerated liquid and semiliquid animal wastes, Applied
Environmental Microbiology. 61: 92-97.
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Digestate processing technologies
Camarero L, Diaz J M and Romero F (1996) Final treatments for anaerobically
digested piggery slurry effluents, Biomass and Bioenergy, 11(6): 483-489.
Fuchs W and Drosg B (2010) Technologiebewertung von Ga ¨ rrestbehandlungs- und
Verwertungskonzepten. Eigenverlag der Universita ¨ tf ¨ r Bodenkultur, Vienna,
Austria.
Møller H B, Hansen J D and Sørensen C A (2007) Nutrient recovery by solid liquid
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