EWC Code
Digestate from anaerobic treatment of animal and vegetal waste
EUR-Lex Commission Decision 2000/532/EC — Official Journal L 226, 06/09/2000Annual Volume (EU)
~17,000 AD plants EU-27; ~180 Mt organic feedstock processed/year
Valorisation Range
€-30 to €+40/tonne digestate (gate fee or nutrient credit)
Primary Route
Digestate Land Spreading
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Get contacts for EWC 19 06 06EWC 19 06 06 is a specific sub-code under EWC 19 06 — Wastes from anaerobic treatment of waste. The classification guidance below applies to this waste stream.
EWC 19 06 covers the solid and liquid residues from anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic waste streams — primarily the digestate (the nutrient-rich liquid and solid fraction remaining after biogas extraction) and the biogas itself (typically 50–65% CH₄, 35–50% CO₂). EWC 19 06 06 covers digestate from co-digestion of waste; EWC 19 06 04 covers fermentation liquor from landfill gas; and 19 06 05 covers liquors from treatment of animal and vegetal waste.
Digestate is a concentrated organic fertiliser containing 2–6 kg N/t, 0.5–2 kg P₂O₅/t and 2–4 kg K₂O/t in plant-available form. Separated liquid digestate can be processed to ammonium sulphate (AS) solution (8–10% N) by stripping-scrubbing, producing a certified fertiliser under EU 2019/1009 CMC5 that trades at €70–120/tonne as a urea substitute. Solid digestate fibre (18–25% dry solids post-press) is composted or applied directly as soil conditioner.
Biogas from the AD process — EWC 19 06 03 (landfill gas) or specifically from plant operations — is upgraded to biomethane (>97% CH₄) for grid injection under EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III, 2023). Biomethane from agricultural and food-waste AD qualifies as an advanced biofuel under Annex IX, attracting Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and gas grid injection premium. EU biomethane production reached 4 bcm in 2023, targeting 35 bcm by 2030 under REPowerEU.
Typical Generators
Established valorisation pathways for EWC 19 06 06, ranked by economic value and market depth.
Whole or separated liquid digestate applied to agricultural land as organic fertiliser under Nitrates Action Programme limits (170 kg N/ha on nitrate-vulnerable zones). Nutrient management plan required. Digestate from separately collected food waste qualifies as PAS 110 certified bioresource in the UK, with equivalent schemes under EU Organic Regulation 2018/848.
Biogas upgraded by water scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) or membrane separation to >97% CH₄ for gas grid injection. Requires Gas Quality Management System (GQMS) certification. Biomethane from food/agricultural waste AD qualifies under RED III Annex IX as advanced biofuel, generating premium RECs at 2× counting factor.
Liquid digestate stripped of dissolved NH₃ at 60–80°C, NH₃ vapour scrubbed in H₂SO₄ absorber producing ammonium sulphate solution (8–10% N). AS is a certified fertiliser under EU 2019/1009 CMC5 competing with synthetic urea. NH₃ stripping reduces odour risk in land spreading and recovers N in concentrated marketable form.
These are the established routes for EWC 19 06 06. Which one your stream qualifies for depends on its composition, volume and region.
Get the ranked options for your streamPrimary & secondary off-takers
Biogas upgrading to biomethane for gas grid injection; CHP operators running on biogas
Agricultural land application of PAS 110/Regulation-certified digestate as organic fertiliser
Digestate treatment: screening, pressing, stripping-scrubbing at AD operator or contract facilities
Farm-based AD plants returning digestate to field as closed-loop nutrient cycle — displacing purchased fertiliser
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