ZeroTrash® Revolution Blog Blog
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Post-Holiday Waste Reset: Starting 2026 With a ...
The holidays may bring plenty of celebration — but they can also leave a big mess, between a cluttered kitchen, overflowing trash bins, and a lingering sense of waste overload....
Post-Holiday Waste Reset: Starting 2026 With a Clean, ZeroTrash® Kitchen
The holidays may bring plenty of celebration — but they can also leave a big mess, between a cluttered kitchen, overflowing trash bins, and a lingering sense of waste overload. January is not just the start of a new year. It’s a moment of reset. This article is designed to help you regain control of your kitchen in 2026. We invite you to kick-start your year with a practical, sustainable new clean-up routine using Clear Drop’s ZeroTrash® AI, Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC), and Organics Collector (OC). Why Post-Holiday Waste Feels Overwhelming During the holidays, our normal routines are often disrupted: More meals are cooked at home. More food is stored and discarded. More packaging enters the house through gifts and deliveries. Less attention is paid to sorting and cleanup. When everything returns to “normal,” the accumulated waste starts to become visible all at once. You may feel a sense of frustration or guilt, or just want to avoid it all together. A reset works best when it focuses on systems, not willpower. The Holiday Waste Surge: Facts and Figures Multiple municipal and environmental studies show that household waste increases significantly during the holiday period. In many regions, waste volumes rise by up to 25% between late November and early January. The main contributors include: Gift packaging and wrapping materials Plastic films and protective packaging from online orders Food scraps and expired leftovers Disposable party and serving items This surge in waste isn’t a failure of individual responsibility — it’s a predictable seasonal pattern. The key is how households respond after the holidays. Common Post-Holiday Recycling Challenges Once the celebrations are over, households often face the same challenges: Mixed piles of packaging with unclear recycling rules Soft plastics stuffed loosely into trash bags Leftover food that no one wants to eat but doesn’t feel “right” to throw away Bins that are full before the next pickup Without clear guidance, many people default to the fastest option: throwing everything away. This is exactly where better tools — not stricter rules — make the biggest difference. How ZeroTrash® AI Simplifies Sorting of Leftover Packaging Post-holiday cleanup involves a wide variety of unfamiliar packaging, including: decorative wraps, plastic films, protective layers from gifts, and specialty food packaging. ZeroTrash® AI helps you figure out how to sort all of it. You can scan each item to get immediate clarity on whether something qualifies as soft plastic and how it should be treated. Instead of guessing or memorizing rules, you can rely on consistent, real-time guidance, reducing decision stress and sorting fatigue. Managing Soft Plastics From Gifts and Wrapping With the SPC Soft plastics are one of the biggest sources of post-holiday waste. They are light, flexible, and take up far more space than expected. With the Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC), you can: Compress wrapping films and plastic liners Reduce trash bin volume Keep materials clean and contained Avoid overflow during the busiest cleanup period Using the SPC alone can instantly make your kitchen feel visibly calmer and more organized. Handling Food Scraps and Leftovers With the Organics Collector (OC) Food waste peaks after the holidays. Leftovers expire, party ingredients go unused, and storage containers fill quickly. With he Organics Collector (OC), you can: Separate food scraps immediately Prevent odors and pests Reduce reliance on trash bins for organic waste Keep the kitchen hygienic Stop throwing all your food waste in the trash and start dealing with it cleanly and consistently. Step-by-Step Kitchen Reset Guide for 2026 A post-holiday reset doesn’t need to take up so much of your time and energy. Just follow this simple, structured approach: Clear all visible waste from counters and storage areas. Scan unfamiliar packaging with ZeroTrash® AI. Separate soft plastics and compact them using the SPC. Dispose of food scraps daily using the OC. Most households complete this process in one afternoon, and notice immediate improvements in space and cleanliness. Turning Cleanup into Sustainable Habits The real value of a reset isn’t the cleanup itself — it’s what happens afterward. By keeping ZeroTrash® AI accessible and using the SPC and OC as part of your daily routine, waste sorting becomes faster, easier, less emotional, and more automatic. Instead of always depending on your motivation, you can rely on a tried-and-true system. That’s what helps turn a New Year’s intention into a lasting habit. Before-and-After: Real Results from ZeroTrash Users Households that adopt a structured post-holiday reset commonly report: Less trash overflow Fewer unpleasant odors Cleaner recycling streams Lower stress around waste sorting The kitchen doesn’t just look better — it functions better. Get a Clean Start Without the Pressure A new year doesn’t require perfection, just a little clarity and cleanliness. By keeping waste decisions simple and consistent — with tools like ZeroTrash® AI and Clear Drop’s SPC and OC — you can regain control of your kitchen and build solid routines that fit seamlessly into your everyday life.
Holiday Composting Guide 2025: How to Reduce Wa...
The holidays bring plenty of food, cheer, and …. waste? With all those extra food scraps, packaging, and single-use holiday supplies, household waste increases by roughly 25% between Thanksgiving and...
Holiday Composting Guide 2025: How to Reduce Waste at Christmas & New Year Events
The holidays bring plenty of food, cheer, and …. waste? With all those extra food scraps, packaging, and single-use holiday supplies, household waste increases by roughly 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, per an estimate by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the most effective ways to reduce this seasonal spike in waste? Composting. With a little preparation, you can make composting easy this holiday season, whether you’re organizing a small home gathering, office celebration, or large community event. This guide summarizes what can (and can’t) be composted during holiday meals, how to set up event waste stations that actually work, and the practical tools that households can use to manage organics without the mess or the stink. Key Takeaways Food waste increases by 25%–40% during the holiday season. Most holiday food scraps can be composted with the right method and clear sorting rules. Certified compostables are accepted at commercial facilities — but not always at home. Clear signage dramatically reduces contamination in compost bins. Indoor-friendly organics collector appliances can help families and offices cleanly and efficiently manage food scraps during busy events. Why Holiday Food Waste Spikes — and Why Composting Matters The holidays are often associated with abundance — for better or worse. In November and December, there’s a pronounced increase in over-purchasing, buffet-style serving, and leftover-heavy cooking. This all leads to a lot of extra waste — and most of it goes straight to the trash can, then the landfill. The problem is, when organic waste goes to landfills, it decomposes anaerobically and produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is at least 28 times more potent than CO₂ over a 100-year period.To help reduce your footprint, use the peak waste periods of the holidays to introduce easy composting habits that can persist beyond the season. What You Can (and Can’t) Compost During Holiday Meals Take note of the following lists to guide you through proper composting this holiday season (and beyond): Food Scraps & Decorative Organics You Can Compost at Home Fruit and vegetable peels and scraps (pumpkin pieces, citrus peels, apple cores, etc.) Dried fruits Cinnamon sticks Bread and grains Herbs Rice and pasta Coffee grounds and tea leaves Cookie crumbs Pinecones Natural wreaths (no wire) Kraft paper wrap Items That Require Commercial Composting BPI-certified compostable plates/cups “Compostable” bioplastic utensils Some dairy- and oil-heavy foods Waste Not Compostable at Home Turkey bones and meat scraps (acceptable with the Organics Collector) Glossy paper plates Foil, chip bags Glitter decor Metallic wrapping Plastic ornaments Synthetic ribbons Holiday Composting Reference Table (2025) Item Home Compost Organics Collector / Bokashi Commercial Compost Trash Fruit and veggie peels, scraps Yes Yes Yes No Turkey bones No Yes Sometimes Yes Cheese, gravy No Yes Sometimes Yes Stuffing, casseroles Risky Yes Yes No Uncoated paper plates Yes Yes Yes No Certified compostable cups No No Yes No Foil, plastic wrap No No No Yes Glitter decor No No No Yes Tools That Make Holiday Composting Easier Traditional home compost systems can be difficult to maintain during holiday events because they often get overloaded, attracting odors and potentially pests. Many are located outdoors, making it less convenient to throw away scraps. And most do not accept big food items like meat or dairy. For these reasons, households and offices are opting to use indoor organics collection systems to manage high-volume holiday scraps cleanly and without odor. Organics Collector Appliance Kitchen appliances, such as Clear Drop’s Organics Collector, are designed for odor-free indoor storage of mixed food scraps. They are especially useful during holiday gatherings because they: Suppress smells, even when holding meat, bones, and other rich foods Prevent fruit flies and pests Allow guests to easily sort waste Reduce contamination in compost bins Keep kitchens organized during peak cooking days Using this type of device does not replace composting, though. Instead, it simplifies the first (and often messiest) step — collecting holiday scraps and organics before they are taken outdoors or to a drop-off site. How to Set Up a Holiday Compost Station for the Home, Office, or Events Not sure where to start? Follow the below steps to keep the party going and the waste at bay. 1. Choose the Right Collection System Figure out which type of composting system will work best for you. Choose from options such as: Countertop caddies Outdoor compost bins Municipal green bins (where available) Bokashi systems Organics collector appliances for clean indoor storage Large event composting totes 2. Place Bins in Strategic Positions Think about the natural flow between dishing up, eating, and disposing. Some good locations to place trash and organic waste bins include: Near the buffet or food stations Next to the kitchen island By drink tables Along high-traffic areas 3. Add Clear “YES / NO” Signage Offer clear printed instructions as to what waste goes where. For example YES — food scraps, napkins, paper plates NO — plastic, foil, glitter, coated paper Better yet, include visuals of examples and recruit a volunteer “green lead” to manage waste areas. How to Reduce Food Waste Before & After Your Holiday Event Before the party even starts, plan ahead to avoid too much extra food and waste. Consider the number of guests and: Plan realistic portions Use smaller plates Prepare low-waste recipes Encourage reusable containers for leftovers Freeze portions ahead of time Dealing With Leftovers After the Event You can’t always calculate your food needs exactly, but you can donate, repurpose, freeze, or compost any extras after the event. Donate: The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects good-faith food donations. Most communities offer at least a few places where you can donate food. Repurpose: Be creative and use any leftover food or ingredients to make new dishes like soups, casseroles, grain bowls, or frittatas. Freeze: Bigger items such as meat, roasted vegetables, baked goods, stuffings, and breads freeze well and can come in handy for later. Compost: Of what remains, make sure to compost it either at home or through a community program. Sustainable Holidays Start With Small Changes Small, repeated behaviors during the holidays and other peak waste seasons can help build long-term waste-reduction routines. As cities continue to expand food-waste programs, households across the country are adopting composting habits and taking advantage of indoor-friendly compost solutions like Clear Drop’s Organics Collector. Whether you host a small dinner or a large office celebration, a well-planned compost system, supported by clear signage and simple indoor tools, can dramatically reduce your holiday waste footprint.
How Much Food Americans Waste and What You Can Do
Key Takeaways Americans waste 30%-40% of their total food supply each year (USDA, 2024). In 2019, the U.S. generated 66 million tons of wasted food, with more than half ending...
How Much Food Americans Waste and What You Can Do
Key Takeaways Americans waste 30%-40% of their total food supply each year (USDA, 2024). In 2019, the U.S. generated 66 million tons of wasted food, with more than half ending up in landfills. (EPA, 2023). The average household loses ≈ $1,500 per year on food that is never eaten(NRDC, 2022). Food waste produces methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28x more potent than CO₂ (EPA, 2024). ClearDrop’s Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) and Organics Collector (OC) help reduce food waste and food-related soft plastics — one household at a time. Millions of tons of perfectly edible food are thrown away in the United States every year. Add to that all the water, land, fertilizer, energy, and packaging required to produce it. When wasted food ends up in landfills, it decomposes and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The good news is that small, consistent changes at home can make a meaningful impact. Every household can reduce its environmental footprint with helpful tools, such as Clear Drop’s Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) for responsible soft plastic recycling, and the Organics Collector (OC) for clean food-scrap collection. The Scale of Food Waste in America According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Americans waste up to 40% of their total food supply annually (USDA, 2024). To break this down even more, in 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that: U.S. households and retailers generated 66 million tons of food waste. 35 million tons of food waste were landfilled. Food became the largest single category of landfill material(EPA, 2023). What Americans Waste Most Tempted by bulk deals and other discounted offers, Americans tend to overbuy at the grocery store, ending up with rotting produce and expired foods, including: Fruits and vegetables Dairy Baked goods Leftovers Prepared meals Remember that nearly all of these products come packaged in soft plastics, such as produce bags, bread bags, cereal liners, frozen-food bags, snack wrappers, and cling film. To save on waste, these materials can be compacted and recycled using the Clear Drop SPC. Environmental Impact When food ends up in landfills, it decomposes and generates methane, a gas that is 28x more potent than CO₂ (EPA, 2024). Wasted food also wastes: 21% of all U.S. freshwater used in agriculture (WWF, 2023) 18% of U.S. cropland (Feeding America, 2023) Billions of units of packaging materials Significant transport and refrigeration energy There are two easy ways you can lower your food waste footprint to help reduce these numbers: Clear Drop’s OC allows you to cleanly collect food scraps so they don’t end up in landfills. Clear Drop’s SPC allows you to effectively recycle soft-plastic packaging to be repurposed instead of tossed out. Common Reasons Food Gets Wasted at Home A lack of planning and preparation often lead to extra food and packaging waste. Cause: Overbuying and poor planningSolution: Create weekly meal plans and shop with a list. Cause: Expiration date confusionSolution: Understand “best by,” “use by,” and “sell by” labels (EPA Food Labeling Education). Cause: Improper storageSolution: Use airtight containers and humidity-controlled fridge drawers to keep food fresher longer. Cause: Forgotten leftoversSolution: Store leftovers in clear containers and rotate regularly. Cause: Packaging accumulationSolution: Rinse, dry, and compact food-related soft plastics using the SPC. Why Reducing Food Waste Matters Reducing food waste has wide-reaching benefits: Lowers emissions Less food in landfills = less methane released = a measurable climate benefit. Decreases packaging waste When you toss out food, you’re also tossing out its packaging, such as: Produce bags Bread bags Shrink wrap Snack wrappers Frozen-food bags Cling film When you have an SPC, you can reduce this extra waste by easily compacting and recycling it. Supports sustainable living Clear Drop’s mission is to help households reduce waste in all forms, starting with food scraps and soft plastics. Read more about our mission and products in our educational guides. Simple Ways To Reduce Food Waste Build meal plans and shopping lists to prevent overbuying. Store food properly to extend freshness. Learn date-label meanings before discarding food. Freeze leftovers to prevent spoilage. Reuse vegetable scraps or collect them for further composting via the Organics Collector. Keep products visible in your fridge and cabinets with clear labeling. Recycle all soft-plastic food packaging using the SPC. How Clear Drop Supports Sustainable Living Clear Drop provides practical tools for reducing household waste, including our: Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) With the SPC, ensure every bread bag, produce bag, snack wrapper, cling film, cereal liner, and frozen-food bag gets properly recycled. Organics Collector (OC) With the OC, collect your food scraps without the fuss, mess, or smells. Clear Drop Blog With the Clear Drop Blog, learn more about how to reduce your food and plastic waste and build a cleaner, more sustainable lifestyle. Be a Leader in Better Waste Management Reduce food waste, recycle smarter, and build a sustainable home with Clear Drop’s: Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) to reduce soft-plastic waste Organics Collector (OC) to compost cleanly and effectively Educational Blog to learn more about how to live a ZeroTrash lifestyle Explore the full ClearDrop system at https://onecleardrop.com.
Clear Drop: how we’re revolutionizing home wast...
Most household waste still ends up in landfills, not because people do not want to recycle, but because recycling systems are not designed for everything we throw away. Clear Drop...
Clear Drop: how we’re revolutionizing home waste management
Most household waste still ends up in landfills, not because people do not want to recycle, but because recycling systems are not designed for everything we throw away. Clear Drop enables a new way of managing soft plastic and organic waste right at home, making recycling easier, cleaner, and more efficient. Our goal is simple: remove the burden from households while ensuring that what leaves your home is actually processed, not discarded. Why Clear Drop? Clear Drop is a symbol of the neutral impact of humankind on nature. It is a metaphor for what remains after human consumption. Every day we as humans consume food and buy many products in packaging. It results in waste – plastic packaging, empty bottles, paper, glass, cans, organic waste etc. While only a marginal part of that is truly recycled, the footprint of human consumption is very high. The goal of Clear Drop is to reduce this footprint to a single clear drop. A new concept of pre-recycling Pre-recycling means optimizing waste at the source. Instead of hoping the recycling system will sort it out later, Clear Drop appliances prepare waste correctly right at home. It reduces volume, prevents contamination, and ensures soft plastics and food waste enter the proper recycling streams. The result: less landfill waste, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and a straightforward approach households can stick to every day. Pre-recycling is the approach that meets current challenges where the recycling system can’t deal with all types of waste we generate. Pre-recycling means preparing waste for its further efficient recycling before it is dropped into the recycling bin. Currently, some materials tackled by Clear Drop’s home appliances are literally not recycled as soft plastic, not being collected conveniently enough. The regular recycling process is often ineffective: trucks “transporting air”, and labor-intensive separation – together they consume a lot of energy, resources and create pollution of their own. With pre-recycling, discarded items are conveniently separated and prepared for recycling on the spot, facilitating waste reduction. Further on, the material is prepared for storing at home and further delivery to the recycling facilities of our partners. It is cleaner, denser, more convenient for transporting and all-around more manageable for further processing. Moreover, we guarantee recycling. The actual problems we address Challenging soft plastic waste An estimated five trillion plastic bags are used annually worldwide, not including numbers of film packaging and other types of soft plastic. Only 1% of households can recycle film at home today. Less than 10% of soft plastic is recycled, and the data is still not always being calculated and reported. Unlike some traditionally recyclable commodities, such as PET bottles or HDPE bottles, there is not very much publicly available information on the generation and composition of film and flexible packaging.Soft plastic is perceived as a barrier to the efficient process of recycling other types of plastic while being put together in a blue bin for recycling, as described in more detail in our overview of soft plastic recycling challenges. Soft plastics are lightweight, flexible and inexpensive to produce. This has made them popular choices for packaging. But this ignores the problems of disposal, including harm to nature and people when it ends up in landfills. Unless it’s compacted in a solid substance that changes the process of processing, soft plastics can get tangled or stuck in machinery at recycling or waste-processing facilities, causing inefficiencies and disruptions in the process. Clear Drop solution: compacting soft plastic waste Clear Drop offers the first step in solving this problem – business and home appliances that can prepare soft plastic waste for further transportation and actual recycling. Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) significantly simplifies the soft plastic collection and transforms fluffy packaging into a shape-preserving 12 × 8 × 4-inch block. It happens with the help of a patented plastic surface-softening technology to keep soft plastic compacted for storage and transportation that is safe for users and the environment. SPC accepts all major types of soft plastic packaging (excluding PVC and PS which are dangerous by nature) like food wrappers, soft plastic containers, shopping bags, cling film, and other types of packaging from your purchases.The device stores around one month of soft plastic waste and provides low energy consumption. The soft plastic prepared by the SPC is easy to pick up and transport, making it more manageable than any other option. The soft plastic block can be mailed to Clear Drop. We offer end-2-end service in collaboration with our recycling partners which adds more possibilities to soft plastic waste reduction in landfills. Make Soft Plastic Recycling Easier Turn bulky packaging into compact, ready-to-recycle blocks using the Clear Drop Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC). It simplifies storage, improves recycling efficiency, and guarantees that soft plastics will not go to landfill. Learn more about Clear Drop® Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) How to Manage Soft Plastics at Home Soft plastics are everywhere in the home – from delivery mailers and snack packaging to produce bags and wrapping film. To make sure they are handled properly and stay out of landfills: Keep soft plastics separate from bottles and other recyclables. Ensure packaging is empty and reasonably clean. Compact them to reduce storage space and prevent tangling at facilities. Send compacted blocks via Clear Drop’s mail-in service for guaranteed recycling. This empowers households to contribute to a cleaner plastic supply chain with minimal effort. Dealing with the consequences of organic waste Organic waste is just as harmful to the environment as plastic if it ends up in landfills instead of being composted. When compostable materials, like food scraps and yard waste, are thrown in with regular trash, they end up in landfills. These materials could have been repurposed into nutrient-rich compost to enrich the soil and contribute to waste reducion, but instead, they take up valuable landfill space and contribute to 11% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In landfills, organic waste decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Methane is approximately 25 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, contributing significantly to climate change. Organic waste in landfills contributes to the production of leachate – a toxic liquid that can seep into the ground, potentially contaminating soil and water sources. Composting not only recycles nutrients but also helps sequester carbon in the soil, reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Without composting, this potential benefit is lost. Organics Collector: new technology to close the loop for organic waste To not let organic waste end up in a landfill, people don’t need to do composting by themselves to support waste reduction. Clear Drop makes collecting organic waste at home convenient, uninterrupted and without an unpleasant smell, leaks, dissolving organic bags, flies or the necessity to frequently empty the bin with one more home appliance – Organics Collector. Organics Collector (OC) stores and gradually accumulates food waste for several days up to one week. At the same time, the device helps to avoid the appearance of unpleasant odors and insects. Featuring non-energy-intensive processes, the OC consumes very little energy. The unique combination of the O3 generator and filtration system makes sure unpleasant smell is eliminated. Additionally, while stored, the organics in OC undergo a dehumidification process, reducing their moisture content by 30–40%. This makes all OC-collected material easier to transport and pick up and preserves composting features of the material. Once the bin is full, the dried organics can be disposed of at a municipal waste collection point or go to your local or community compost pit. You can also learn more about why electric composters are not real composting and how solutions like OC keep organics suitable for professional composting. Collect Food Waste Without the Mess The Clear Drop Organics Collector helps you store organic waste for several days odor-free and leak-free, reducing landfill emissions and keeping nutrients available for composting. Discover Clear Drop® Organics Collector (OC) Clear Drop® Founder's Message “These are just the first two systems we’re bringing to market. The problem is massive, and Pre-recycling is still in its infancy. But many more solutions are coming. Our promise to the world is that everything processed by our appliances will be recycled — if disposed of properly. We wouldn’t do this if we couldn’t make a difference. Let’s work together to make our future look like a hopeful science fiction story — not the bleak dystopias we risk if we don’t change our approach to waste management.” – Ivan Arbouzov, Founder & CEO of Clear Drop® Frequently Asked Questions What is pre-recycling? Pre-recycling is the process of separating and preparing waste at home to ensure it can be recycled efficiently instead of ending up in a landfill. It’s a form of smarter home waste management that optimizes materials before they enter traditional recycling systems. Which types of plastic can Clear Drop SPC compact? Clear Drop SPC handles major types of soft plastic packaging such as food wrappers, shopping bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, and other flexible plastics, excluding PVC and PS. These are typically the soft plastics that are not recyclable curbside. Does Organics Collector make compost? No. The Organics Collector (OC) does not make finished compost. It preserves essential organic matter by partially drying food scraps and controlling odors, ensuring they remain suitable for industrial or community composting. How does Clear Drop ensure recycling actually happens? Through partnerships with specialized recycling facilities and a mail-in system, Clear Drop guarantees that soft plastics processed by SPC are recycled responsibly, rather than being sent to landfill. Together with OC, these pre-recycling solutions turn home waste management into a reliable path to real recycling.
Composting: electric vs. professional or tradit...
In the United States, food scraps make up a significant share of household waste, yet only about 5% of organic waste is composted. As electric composters gain popularity, many homeowners...
Composting: electric vs. professional or traditional options
In the United States, food scraps make up a significant share of household waste, yet only about 5% of organic waste is composted. As electric composters gain popularity, many homeowners believe they are creating usable compost - but environmental experts argue otherwise. This guide explains the differences between electric composting, true professional composting, and new home-friendly technologies that actually support a circular system and help reduce methane emissions from landfills. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "only about 5% of the annual 66.2 million tons of food waste is composted", which leads to landfill overfilling and emissions of methane. The rising environmental needs for composting and new legislations in separating organic waste for households create a new market for solutions and home appliances. This market for various devices for composting or preparing food scraps to compost-like material is already overcrowded by different technologies. Here also comes electric composters, which have become a separate category, and are being introduced by more and more brands these days. They claim to conveniently convert organic household waste into plant food or soil amendments without unpleasant odors or pests. But do they really make compost that can enrich the soil and introduce a genuine solution, or is it a misleading trend? This is a point that has been questioned by many environmental experts and gardeners. Let’s look at the facts! How do electric composters work? The features of electrical composters may vary from the producer, but the general logic of their work stays the same. Basically, all of them use heat, grinding, and aeration technologies inside the devices to dehydrate and grind up organic waste. They get rid of bacteria and pathogens while heating your organics to a high temperature, depending on the model, to about 160°F or over 212°F. During the heating process, the device starts to grind your food scraps into small pieces into dry brown powder or chunky and fibrous material, depending on what waste you have. The rotation of the material and charcoal filter simulates compost aeration and helps to prevent odors. This process takes a few hours and reduces the volume of your organic waste to 70-90%. That sounds perfect for keeping your kitchen odor-free and pest-free, but suspicious about fully dehydrated and ground material being used as a compost that usually needs microbial decomposition and compost bacteria for benefiting the soil. The composting misconception Despite marketing claims, the material that is the final product of electric composters’ work is not one that can be called compost and doesn’t have the same ‘composting magic’ features to help plants grow better and contribute to soil health. Even naming it differently can’t guarantee good output for the soil, as it’s declared by electric composters’ brands. “Right from the moment that I saw the first unit, I questioned the 'composting' aspect. How can they compost so quickly when composting is a very slow process?” – said Robert Pavlis, an educator, gardener, blogger, writer and chemist, in an interview with GardenMyths.com. As stated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the output from these devices is more accurately described as "dehydrated food waste byproduct" rather than compost. This material is not biologically stable and often requires further decomposition before it can be safely and effectively used in soil. Applying it directly to plants may not grant the intended benefits to soil health and could potentially harm plant health due to incomplete decomposition and possible high salt content. Some of the tests of environmentalists challenge the statements of electric composter producers, showing that the final material could be detrimental to plant growth and does not eliminate the odor of food scraps, which can attract pests. As outlined by horticulturist Ron Alexander, "it’s not only the missing bacteria that may be problematic, as the freshly ground material can contain concentrated levels of certain nutrients and salts that, when added to garden beds, create an imbalance in the soil's nutrient profile". It may also heat up during the decomposition process, harming plant growth. In addition, the organic waste could become moldy or attract pests if immediately used in the garden. In cities where composting options are limited, such devices provide a practical way to separate food scraps. But since they don’t make a real compost, meaningful progress in reducing food trash and proper composting requires a professional approach and participation of municipal systems. Professional composting: a sustainable alternative Unlike electric devices that grind and dry organic waste without microbial action, professional composting systems rely on natural decomposition to produce true compost.Professional composting, as understood by the US Composting Council, involves large-scale, controlled composting processes that handles significant volumes of organic waste and ensures rapid decomposition under managed conditions. What are these conditions, and why can they process organic waste more efficiently than home setups? The professional composting process entails the following steps: aerobic decomposition with oxygen; strictly controlled temperature, humidity, and airflow levels conditions; the use of microorganisms and sometimes mechanical turning or forced aeration to speed up the composting process. One of the main differences between professional and home composting is time. A professional composting service will create the ideal conditions for the breakdown of organic waste into efficient compost, supporting soil health. Another key difference is in the variety of waste that can be composted. Professional composters can handle a much wider range of organics, including things like bioplastics and bones, that can’t be processed in domestic outdoor or indoor compost bins. Alternatives as part of the solution For those seeking to make a meaningful contribution to sustainability, engaging with professional composting services or traditional composting methods is advisable. By supporting systems that produce genuine compost, individuals can enhance soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and participate in a more sustainable waste management cycle. At the same time, there are other solutions for those households for whom doing a traditional compost is not an option and coping with flies, leaks, and odors is a mission. At Clear Drop, we investigated the current issues with organic household waste management and solutions with their benefits and drawbacks to introduce our own technology. We created a kitchen appliance, Organics Collector, that solves the challenge of convenient household organic waste management without full dehydration.Suppression of your organic waste is carried out using a combination of 3 technologies: dry without heating, aeration, and ozone treatment. Drying reduces the moisture content of your food scraps and other organic waste by only 30-40%, which is still preserves the essential organic matter, allowing it to be effectively composted in industrial facilities or in your own or community pit. Aeration is the process of saturating the waste mass with air. Ozonation - regular treatment of the contents of the container with limited and safe doses of ozone. Additional protection for the consumer from unpleasant odors is carbon-filter adsorption. With its help, all air coming out of the device is filtered and cleaned. While electric composters offer convenience, they fall short of delivering true compost or contributing meaningfully to soil health. Real sustainability lies in supporting systems that return nutrients to the earth through natural decomposition. Whether by engaging with municipal composting services or exploring home methods rooted in biology, the smarter path is one that nurtures soil, not just simplifies disposal. In tackling organic waste, we need solutions that close the loop - not just reduce volume. Home Solutions for Cleaner Organics Collection Managing food scraps at home becomes much easier when the right system is in place. Follow these practical steps to keep your organic waste clean, odor-free, and compost-ready: Keep food scraps separate from plastic packaging and other trash. Store organics in a sealed container to prevent mess and odors. Limit moisture and airflow exposure to slow decomposition and avoid pests. Use a home appliance that stabilizes food scraps without destroying their organic value. Deliver properly stored organics to municipal or professional composting programs where true composting occurs. Clear Drop® Organics Collector (OC) was designed specifically for this purpose. It prevents odors, reduces leaks, and keeps food scraps suitable for real composting—unlike full-dehydration devices that destroy nutrient value. Make Organics Management Easier at Home Clear Drop® Organics Collector stabilizes food scraps using drying without heating, aeration, and ozone treatment - keeping them ready for true composting. Cleaner kitchen, fewer odors, better waste habits.Learn more about the Organics Collector. Frequently Asked Questions Do electric composters make real compost? No. The product they create is usually a dehydrated food waste byproduct without the microbial activity needed for composting. It still requires decomposition before being applied to soil. Why does professional composting matter? Industrial facilities process organics under controlled conditions with microorganisms and aeration, creating nutrient-rich compost that improves soil health and reduces methane emissions. How can households support proper composting if a backyard bin isn’t an option? Use certified collection programs, community composting, or home appliances that stabilize food scraps while keeping them compostable. Is odor control important in home organics management? Yes. Odors attract pests and lead to contamination. A sealed, aerated solution prevents this and makes waste collection more consistent.
