Circular Tourism

Albania

Compost bin in Lycée Vauban

SECTION 1: BASIC INFORMATION

SECTION 2: PRACTICE OVERVIEW

  • Short Description of the Practice

This good practice focuses on the installation and use of compost bins in vocational schools, particularly those training future hospitality professionals. The initiative teaches students how to manage organic waste responsibly, transforming what would otherwise be discarded into a valuable resource for soil enrichment, closing the loop between the kitchen and the garden. Vocational schools are at the heart of this practice. Teachers and trainers use composting as a practical, hands-on tool that complements classroom learning. Students are actively involved in each step: choosing the right composting technique, sorting waste correctly, monitoring the process, and understanding how the final compost can be reused. By engaging with this system, they gain concrete skills in waste reduction, sustainability, and resource management, skills directly transferable to future careers in hospitality and tourism. The main objectives of this practice are to improve management of organic waste within schools, and to instil sustainable habits and circular economy thinking in students, equipping them to become environmentally conscious professionals.

  • Implementation Period: Ongoing...
  • Status:

[  ] Planned [  ] Pilot phase [  ] Fully implemented [X] Ongoing and evolving

  • Thematic Areas Addressed

[   ] Farm to Fork / Sustainable Food Systems
[X] Waste Management
[   ] Resource Efficiency
[   ] Other: ___________

  • Describe how the practice aligns with the selected Thematic Areas.

By addressing the issue posed by organic waste, this practice directly aligns with the Waste Management thematic area, especially present in hospitality and food-related businesses. Composting transforms unavoidable food scraps and garden residues into a resource rather than a burden, diverting them from landfills where they would otherwise generate greenhouse gas emissions. By integrating compost bins into vocational schools, the initiative promotes responsible waste sorting and highlights the importance of treating waste as part of a circular system, thus helping to shape a mindful and holistic consciousness. Students learn practical methods to reduce, reuse, and recycle organic material, turning it into compost that can nourish gardens or green spaces. This practical approach not only improves waste management at the school level but also trains future hospitality professionals to adopt sustainable practices in their careers.

  • Explain how this activity fits within the tourism sector.

Compost bins can help hospitality professionals with essential sustainability skills that are increasingly valued and important in the industry. Hotels, restaurants, and resorts generate significant amounts of organic waste, and managing it responsibly has become a core expectation of sustainable tourism. By learning how to implement composting systems during their training, future professionals acquire both practical knowledge and a sustainable mindset that they can later apply in their workplaces. Composting connects directly to the circular economy by closing the loop between food preparation and food waste, reinforcing the image of hospitality businesses as environmentally conscious actors. Moreover, some eco-conscious travellers today expect tourism services to minimise their ecological footprint: a workforce trained in composting and sustainable waste management ensures that tourism businesses can meet these expectations while reducing costs, improving efficiency, and standing out in a competitive market.

  • What learning value for VET training, curriculum development or capacity-building of professionals
    does the practice offer?

Composting offers strong learning value for VET training, curriculum development, and professional capacity building as it blends theory and practical work, turning waste management and the principles of circular economy into a practical, hands-on subject. Composting can become a school-wide project that is not only relevant for hospitality and tourism students. For hospitality students, it demonstrates how everyday practices in kitchens, hotels, or restaurants can be aligned with sustainability. By integrating composting into the curriculum, schools can teach students how to sort waste correctly, how to use organic waste to nourish soil, understand soil health, biodiversity, and understand the principles of circular economy in action. Composting also encourages collaboration between students, teachers, and even local experts on how to initially implement compost bins, thus reinforcing teamwork and project management skills. For professionals, these experiences build a strong foundation to implement or improve sustainable practices in their future workplaces, making them active contributors to more resilient and eco-conscious tourism.

SECTION 3: CHALLENGES AND ALIGNMENT WITH CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRINCIPLES

  • What challenges or barriers were addressed (based on the report findings)?

[X] Waste management and disposal
[   ] Energy/resource use
[X] Infrastructure limitations
[   ] Seasonality
[X] Skills and capacity gaps
[X] Low awareness of CE
[X] Behavioural resistance
[X] Financial or funding constraint
[   ] Other : ________________________________

  • How were these challenges overcome?

Each issue can be addressed through targeted, low-cost actions. To cut landfill flows, schools or hospitality businesses can run visible on-site pilot systems with the help of an expert on this subject. Different composting systems can be used: bins, lasagna beds, or vermicomposting, each with their different strengths and advantages. Graphs and data can show how many kilograms of waste were diverted from landfill and how much greenhouse-gas emissions and disposal costs were cut, to prove how composting has a positive economic and ecological impact. To close skills gaps and expand awareness linked to sustainability and food systems, embedding composting into VET curricula can be a solution, as schools can invite composting experts for hands-on workshops just as the Campus la Mouillère in Orléans or Vauban vocational high school in Dunkerque did. Concerning infrastructure and funding limits, composting is not very expensive, and schools and hospitality
businesses can pick the options between bins, lasagna beds or vermicomposting that can suit their budget. It is
also important to consider that like most circular economy practices, while composting can represent an
investment at first, it will lead to cost reductions in the long term.

  • Which circular economy strategies does this practice address?

[X] Waste reduction / reuse / recycling
[   ] Renewable energy / energy efficiency
[   ] Water conservation
[   ] Circular product/service design
[X] Sustainable food systems / short food chains
[   ] Eco-certifications or green standards
[   ] Repair, refurbishment, or reuse of infrastructure/furnishings
[   ] Digital tools for circularity or sustainability

  • Describe why this practice can be considered as a ‘best practice’ and how it contributes to one or more circular economy principles:

Composting qualifies as a best practice because it is low-cost, easily replicable, pedagogically rich and effective for both vocational schools to train students and to hospitality businesses to help professionals manage their organic waste. Implementing composting through compost bins, vermicomposters or lasagna beds can turn food and garden residues into a usable soil nutriment, thus turning waste into an input rather than a cost or a burden. If the school also has a kitchen garden, the compost can be used as a natural fertiliser. The approach advances several circular economy principles, notably closing loops by recycling organic matter, regenerating soil and biodiversity, and increasing resource efficiency by lowering dependence on external fertilisers. It can also strengthen local networks through potential partnerships with farms, hotels and municipal services. It also extends value by using waste to improve on-site production, empowering business and helping them to become resilient and self-sustainable. Because it builds capability, helps blend knowledge and practical expertise, reduces costs and strengthens local resilience, implementing composting in vocational schools and in hospitality businesses can be a great asset to the development of circular economy. Since 2024, sorting organic waste is mandatory for
restaurants in France, highlighting how this practice is becoming increasingly mainstreamed across the country.

  • Describe why this practice can be considered as innovative. What new, creative or underused approach brings added value to circular tourism development?

This practice can be considered innovative because it reframes a low-tech process such as composting as both a pedagogical and tourism asset, rather than merely a waste related task. Waste management in the hospitality sector is often associated with heavy, costly machinery, creating the impression that going green requires large investments. Composting shows the opposite: even on a tight budget and without big infrastructures, businesses can begin their green transition and actively participate in the circular economy. Embedding on-site compost systems directly into vocational school training is equally innovative, as it equips students with practical skills in waste valorisation, project management and a better understanding of circular economy and green transition. The approach remains underused in tourism, where organic waste is too often discarded instead of turned into valuable soil. Composting is also versatile, using simple, small-scale and low-technology techniques like compost bins, vermicomposters or lasagna beds, making it highly adaptable and replicable for both schools and hospitality businesses.

SECTION 4: COLLABORATION

  • Describe any collaboration that were involved in the development of this practice ? Did this practice involve local authorities or other groups?

This practice is based on strong collaboration between vocational schools and local stakeholders. While the schools initiate composting projects as part of their training activities, they often rely on external partners for implementation and support. Composting experts or local environmental organisations typically provide technical advice, help design systems such as compost bins, lasagna beds or vermicomposters, and train both teachers and students in proper methods. Local authorities or municipal waste services can also play a role by providing equipment, logistical assistance, or collecting excess compost. Partnerships with farms, horticultural businesses, or hospitality professionals help ensure that the compost produced is put to practical use, closing local loops. These collaborations not only guarantee technical feasibility but also strengthen ties between local communities.

SECTION 5: RESULTS AND REPLICABILITY

  • What measurable results or outcomes were achieved?

To date, there is no publicly available, specific quantitative data on the outcomes of the vermicomposting project at Lycée Vauban. Key metrics such as the daily or annual volume of organic waste processed, quantity of vermicompost produced, cost savings achieved, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, or number of participating students are not reported. However, the project likely delivers qualitative benefits: raising awareness among students about sustainable waste management, diverting food or organic waste from conventional disposal, enriching soil for school gardens, and reinforcing environmental education. Moving forward, gathering metrics such as kilos of compost produced, number of classrooms involved, frequency of use, and potential financial or environmental savings would allow clearer evaluation of the project’s impact.

  • Why is this practice relevant to the Albanian tourism context?

This practice is highly relevant to the Albanian tourism context because it is both low-cost and low-technology, making it accessible to a wide range of businesses regardless of size or location. Composting requires only simple tools such as bins or vermicomposters, which can be set up in urban hotels with limited space or in rural guesthouses with access to gardens. Its adaptability makes it easy to replicate across the diverse Albanian tourism landscape. By adopting composting, hospitality businesses can strengthen their eco-conscious image, which is increasingly attractive to international visitors who value sustainability. At the same time, integrating composting into vocational school curricula ensures that future Albanian hospitality professionals are trained in responsible waste management from the start, helping to build a new generation of eco-conscious professionals. In this way, the practice supports both immediate business value and long-term cultural change.

  • What is the practice’s potential for further expansion ? How can it be applied or adapted to other Albanian tourism destinations or businesses?

The practice of composting has strong potential for replication across Albania because it is simple, replicable, and requires very little investment compared to other costly waste-management systems. Hotels, restaurants, guesthouses, and agritourism farms could all adopt compost bins, vermicomposters, or lasagna beds, adapting them to their size, location, and available resources. In urban destinations, compact systems can be installed in courtyards, rooftops, or even shared between businesses, while in rural or coastal areas, larger composting units can support gardens, vineyards, or local food production. The compost produced can also be reinvested in local kitchen gardens, closing the loop and fully integrating into the circular economy. At the same time, businesses can strengthen their eco-conscious image, adding value to the tourism offer while reducing waste.

  • What advice would you give others looking to implement a similar initiative?

For those looking to implement a composting initiative, the first advice is to start simple. Composting does not require expensive equipment or complex technology. Composting can be achieved through basic compost bins, lasagna beds, or even small vermicomposters. Begin by raising awareness among staff or students about why composting matters and provide training on how to sort and manage organic waste. Partnering with local experts, municipalities, or farmers can help solve technical questions and ensure that the compost is properly used. It is also important to track results, by measuring how much waste is diverted or how much compost is produced gives motivation and proof of impact. It is also important to have a holistic vision, and to see composting as an educational and marketing tool. For businesses, it is indeed a demonstration of commitment to sustainability to travellers and clients, engages communities; and for vocational schools, it showcases to students a concrete way to join the circular economy and to have a positive green impact.