The Collection of Organic Waste in a European Capital

Initial Situation

Reducing food waste and losses along the supply chain is a key objective at both European and global levels.
The European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan and related Directives highlight the need to minimize food waste generation, in line with broader goals of resource efficiency and sustainability.
These directives set ambitious targets, including:

• Reducing the landfilling of municipal waste to 10% or less by 2035
• Promoting measures to prevent waste generation, particularly food waste

At the global level, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 aims to halve per capita food waste at the retail and consumer levels by 2030 and to reduce food losses along the entire supply chain.
These international regulatory frameworks provide essential guidance for national and local initiatives aimed at improving food waste management and promoting sustainable development.
In line with UN guidance, Slovakia has aligned its national policies with European objectives, committing to:

• Reduce food waste throughout the entire supply chain
• Minimize biodegradable waste from kitchens and food services, and promote separate collection

Objectives

The new regulation established the obligation to implement kitchen waste collection starting from January 1, 2023.
The city of Bratislava adopted a gradual approach, involving different districts and launching the first phase in October 2021.
The main goal of introducing separate collection of kitchen waste was to reduce the share of organic waste in residual waste, which at the time accounted for 20–25% of its total volume.
When combined with garden waste, the organic fraction made up as much as 45% of the total waste produced.

Solutions

Introducing kitchen waste collection is particularly complex in large urban areas.
To ensure a smooth rollout and contain adaptation costs, the municipality sought support from circular economy experts, who analyzed the available options and helped identify the most effective solutions in terms of collection scheme, frequency, and equipment.
The service was first launched in a pilot area, accompanied by clear and effective communication to residents.
The collection frequency was designed to encourage the separation of organic waste rather than the disposal of residual waste:

• 2 times per week for food waste
• Once every 2–3 weeks for residual waste

In apartment buildings, the PAYT (Pay As You Throw) system is linked to the size of the bins (120, 240, or 1,100 liters), the number of containers, and the collection frequency, with at least one pickup per week guaranteed.
For single-family houses, residual waste is collected once a week, and only twice a month during the winter.
To support the new service, the municipality provided residents with:

• Stelo 10
  
• Compostable bags
  
• Urba 20

The containers were equipped with RFID tags to enable identification, tracking, and data collection, useful for optimizing waste management.

Results

Progress was monitored through key indicators, such as the volume of biodegradable waste collected and the percentage of food waste in total waste generation.
In 2021, organic waste collection amounted to around 8,000 tonnes; after the service was introduced, approximately 18,000 tonnes were collected.
Each year since 2021, organic waste collection has remained between 8,000 and 10,000 tonnes.
In pilot districts, the program engaged a significant number of households, achieving an impurity rate below 1%.
During the same period, residual waste decreased from approximately 106,000 tonnes to 95,000 tonnes per year.