A project was undertaken to investigate some of the perceived barriers to greater use of recycled organic materials in the Tasmanian vegetable industry. Three of these barriers are:
• availability of suitable products
• transport, handling and processing costs
• concerns regarding food safety.

Some 250,000 tonnes of solid organic residuals suitable for reuse in agriculture are produced in Tasmania each year, mostly by the food processing and forestry industries. Information from a survey of businesses that produce organic residuals will be placed on the Tasmanian Waste Exchange at http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/EGIL-53M7AH?open.

Economic modelling showed that the cost of compost production in small on-farm operations could be lower than large enterprises, providing on-site infrastructure and other fixed overheads were low. However, it is expected that quality control would be relatively low in such operations. When determining the economic viability of larger scale operations, production volume, tip fees and transport distances are important.

A review of alternative uses for organic residuals indicated that there is scope in Tasmania to produce “designer” composts and mulches with potential benefits to vegetable production. Producers of composts and similar products must meet high quality standards in order to minimise the risk of food safety issues.

Soil organic matter loss and organic waste management are significant issues in intensive vegetable production. Both impact on perceptions of “clean, green” produce and the long-term sustainability of agricultural production systems. Both issues can be addressed while improving the economic and environmental performance of the production and processing sectors of the vegetable industry. When viewed as a “waste”, residual organic materials must be managed to minimise environmental damage. When viewed as a properly processed resource, they are sources of organic matter and plant nutrients.

Businesses need information on the availability and nature of organic wastes to evaluate opportunities for market development. It is recommended this information be provided to facilitate the flow of materials from waste generators to potential end users.

It is recommended that the economic model developed by the project be integrated with other models related to compost recipe design and site development. This would provide a suite of computer programs for determining the requirements and economics of proposed organic recycling initiatives.

There is a need to provide better information on issues surrounding the use of recycled organic materials and food safety. It is recommended that the recycled organics and agricultural industries promote the message that properly processed and managed organic residuals are safe to use in food production.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the research and development levies listed below and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

• Vegetable Fund
• Potato – Fresh Fund