The average person discards 200 kg of food waste each year, and 1 kg of food waste can produce 0.5 kg of organic compost, which serves as a natural fertilizer for agriculture.
Unfortunately, most food waste ends up in landfills or incinerators, emitting greenhouse gases and contributing to climate change, while also polluting the land, air, and waterways. Research indicates that the proximity of landfills is associated with an increased risk of cancer.
A significant portion of municipal solid waste is sent to landfills or incinerators, with 24% of this waste being compostable.
Landfills emit gases containing 50% methane (CH4), 50% carbon dioxide (CO2), and volatile organic compounds. They are the largest methane source in the U.S., and methane is 28 times more potent than CO2. Additionally, landfills produce leachate, which contaminates soil and aquifers.
The most effective approach to reducing waste, pollution, and landfill contamination is to encourage composting.
Materials suitable for composting, categorized as "Browns" (high in Carbon), include cardboard, paper, ashes, wood, corn stalks, dry leaves, pine needles, sawdust, wood chips, wool and cotton rugs, hair, fur, hay, and straw. Browns contribute to the aeration of the compost pile.
Meanwhile, materials categorized as "Greens" (high in Nitrogen) that are suitable for composting include fruit and vegetable peels and scraps, healthy plants and plant parts, certain food waste, tea bags, coffee grounds, nut and eggshells, yard trimmings, and grass clippings.
Reasons for Composting and the Advantages of Composting
- Enhances soil quality by increasing its ability to absorb and buffer.
- Improves water retention, reduces erosion and evaporation, and minimizes the need for watering.
- Reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers, offering natural nutrients like nitrogen, carbon, and micronutrients while boosting yields.
- Suitable for potting soil and soil enhancement.
- Binds with toxins in polluted soils, preventing plant absorption of harmful substances like lead and cadmium.
- Rehabilitates degraded lands and soils.
- Helps control certain plant diseases, such as clubroot in cabbage.
- Many fruits and vegetables are grown in depleted soils, lacking essential minerals and vitamins.
- Cultivating vegetables in nutrient-rich compost can enhance their nutritional value, promote overall health, and address food security.
Healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy people.
- Locally available, eliminating the need for manufacturing and transportation.
"The compost becomes food, and the food becomes compost."
"There are optimal moisture levels for composting. Microbial activity is limited at lower moisture levels, and at higher levels, the process may turn anaerobic and produce unpleasant odors." (Cornell)
From Waste to Compost.
By 2050, the world will be home to 9.5 billion people, mostly in cities. To adapt, cities must focus on waste management, food scarcity, and transitioning to a circular economy. Composting reduces environmental impact, improves soil quality, and combats food scarcity. Let's start composting!
My compost bin in Washington,D.C
References
“Circularity Is Key in Developing Bioeconomy.” Interreg Europe, www.interregeurope.eu/bioregio/news/news-article/2986/biowaste-challenge-in-europe/.
Compost Connection, compostconnection.com/.
Estabrook, Barry. Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit. Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC, 2012.
Friis, Robert H. Essentials of Environmental Health. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2019.
Plastrik, Peter, and John Cleveland. Life after Carbon: the next Global Transformation of Cities. Island Press, 2018.
Razza, Francesco, et al. “The Role of Compost in Bio-Waste Management and Circular Economy.” Designing Sustainable Technologies, Products and Policies, 2018, pp. 133–143., doi:10.1007/978-3-319-66981-6_16.
Robertson, Margaret. Sustainability Principles and Practice. Routledge, 2017.
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