Regulatory review and analysis of European Union and Colombian Persistent Organic Pollutants in compost and its impact

Abstract

Within the current Spanish and Colombian environmental policies related to urban waste, the use of organic waste through composting for use as fertilizer for agricultural use is promoted. There is a deficient classification of waste and pollution generated by the mixture of organic residues and therefore the presence of toxic elements or compounds such as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). These compounds have bioaccumulating and biomagnifying characteristics and they move easily on air, water and fat. They have harmful effects on health and the environment, affecting food webs, food chains and can be precursors, as indicated by some studies, of infertility, cancer, obesity or diabetes (Porta, M., 2009). Therefore, and in order to meet existing regulations on POPs in urban compost in Spain and Colombia, a descriptive study was conducted to review legal texts and codes. This study concluded that there are health and environmental standards defining the maximum permissible quality limits to be met by the compost that is currently earmarked for agricultural use. That leads to an urgent need for political decision makers, researchers, scientific societies, academic and labor from different disciplines work together to regulate POPs content in the compost produced from organic waste.