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WQ.314/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 16th JULY 2019
Question
What actions, if any, is being taken to support carbon drawdown into the soil in Jersey, particularly in respect of the work being undertaken by Jersey Hemp and in relation to the recycling of carbon and nutrients from waste food as an alternative to incineration?
Answer
Carbon drawdown into soil is one of many strategies under consideration to achieve the States Assembly aim of carbon neutrality for Jersey by 2030. As requested by the Assembly, the Council of Ministers will bring forward a plan to the Assembly by the end of 2019, setting out how Jersey can achieve this ambitious target.
Existing measures exist to improve soil quality. The current Government of Jersey (GoJ) Rural Support Scheme (RSS) encourages sustainable food production and best practice. The RSS introduced the LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) scheme into the island and subsidies paid to farmers are conditional upon the provision of goods', such as increasing soil organic carbon, via reducing tillage and the use of high yielding cover crops. Approximately 12,000 tonnes of soil improver produced at the La Collette green waste facility is recycled onto agricultural fields. Growth, Housing and Environment officers are collaborating with Cranfield University to establish more accurate baseline studies of soil organic matter across the island and to identify and implement additional measure to increase carbon sequestration into soils.
Whilst the concept of recycling food waste seems feasible, further research is needed to fully determine whether such schemes are practicable in a Jersey context. Basic information is needed, such as energy consumption, costs and mass balance, before waste management technologies or methods can be endorsed or selected. To date, there is little information available in respect of food waste recycling, including the operation underway at Jersey Hemp, to allow a decision to be made. Additionally, strict regulations are in place that regulated the recycling and composting of food wastes, primarily to prevent the spread of microbial pathogens that may be present in food wastes such as meat. These regulations necessitate licences to be granted by the GoJ States Veterinary Officer, which include conditions that cover; transport of raw food waste, composting requirements (temperatures and periods), analysis of animal and human pathogens by accredited laboratories, location of composting operations and restrictions on where finished products can be used.