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Composting: electric vs. professional or tradit...
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...
Composting: electric vs. professional or traditional options
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.
Soft plastic recycling: key challenges and solu...
Recycling soft plastics is one of the most pressing environmental challenges today. Soft plastics – such as plastic bags, wrappers, and packaging films – are often excluded from standard curbside...
Soft plastic recycling: key challenges and solutions
Recycling soft plastics is one of the most pressing environmental challenges today. Soft plastics – such as plastic bags, wrappers, and packaging films – are often excluded from standard curbside recycling programs. This is due to a combination of factors, including the composition of the materials, limited processing infrastructure, and consumer confusion about disposal methods. The general reports on the plastic recycling industry in the U.S., which are now carried out by nonprofit organizations and are not systematic, don’t seem to show positive data. According to the latest rates from research on recycled plastic, "more than 95% of the plastics generated are put in a landfill or incinerated for energy". The research groups also revealed that while plastic recycling is on the decline, "the per capita generation of plastic waste has increased by 263% since 1980". Another investigation shows missed opportunities in about "83% of the plastic packaging that could be recycled curbside – think bottles and containers – not being put in the bin". And what about soft plastic? It is placed on a lower priority and also shows recycling rates of less than 10 percent, still not always being calculated and reported. Soft plastic is perceived as a barrier to the efficient process of recycling other types of plastic, being put together in a blue bin for recycling. Let’s figure out what the main challenges of soft plastic recycling are and what solutions could exist to work on changing these frustrating numbers of plastic waste and changing the attitude towards soft plastic. What is this soft plastic exactly? The name itself speaks about its look and structure - this film is simply soft. An easy way to identify a soft plastic product is to scrunch it up and see that it doesn’t bounce back fully. In other words, it is any lightweight package or part of a package whose shape can be readily changed. Flexible packaging includes, but is not limited to, bags, pouches, liners and wraps that utilize plastic or film. It can also be packaging such as grocery, zip lock, soft plastic containers, cling film, stretch wrap, shipping packaging, freezer bags, and dry-cleaning bags. Key challenges of soft plastiс recycling Being soft and light doesn’t mean being perfectly suitable for recycling. Recycling facilities face specific problems while having soft plastic on their board and these are the real reasons for these difficulties: 1. Contamination of recycling streams. While being useful for packaging purposes because of its thin, stretchy, clingy structure, plastic film is still difficult to recycle without specialized equipment. If mixed with other recyclables and processed through machines, plastic packaging tangles the mechanisms and jams the machines. This leads to operational disruptions and increased maintenance costs. Other than that, it endangers workers who try to clean it out of the equipment at the recycling facility. This problem occurs even earlier, when soft plastic is placed in the curbside recycling cart after mixed waste management. 2. Lack of recycling facilities. Out of approximately 500 Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the U.S., only 20% to 30% can handle soft plastic waste. Their limited capacity also leads to the majority of soft plastics not being processed and often ending up in landfills. 3. Multi-layered plastic materials. Some soft plastic packaging, like aluminum-lined snack wrappers and food pouches, is often made from layers of different materials. It makes the package content protected by providing stiffness, oxygen barrier, UV protection, and sealability. This solution complicates soft plastic recycling efforts. Separating these layers is technologically challenging, which stands for the complexity of classification, layer separation, and is economically unfeasible due to high costs for treatment. 4. Consumer confusion about plastic waste management. Consumers are often not sure what type of plastic waste is accepted at their location because programs for recycling significantly vary. A survey revealed that "60% of people are uncertain about how and what to recycle, resulting in improper disposal of soft plastic waste". Lack of information and awareness about the easy options for plastic recycling leads to curbside recycling full of soft plastics. Soft plastic waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges today, leading to widespread pollution. The key environmental risks associated with soft plastic waste are: 1. Landfill overflow Plastic takes up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills. During this process of degradation, plastic waste may leach potentially toxic substances into the soil and groundwater, producing environmental and health risks. 2. Microplastics While degrading soft plastic waste fragments into microplastics, tiny parts less than 5 millimeters in size are created. These microplastics have been detected in various environments, including deep-sea sediments and remote areas, indicating their pervasive distribution. Microplastics can adsorb and transport harmful pollutants, potentially entering the food chain and posing risks to wildlife and human health. Studies have found microplastics in human organs, including the placenta, raising concerns about their impact on human health. 3. Ocean pollution In addition to microplastics wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems, soft plastic waste can directly influence the lives of marine animals. For instance, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals often mistake plastic waste for food, which leads to ingestion that can cause internal injuries, intestinal blockages, starvation, and death. Solutions: How to improve soft plastic recycling? The good point about these challenges is that they already have some solutions that can improve soft plastics recycling. Emerging innovations and technologies can significantly expand processing capabilities. Chemical plastic recycling technologies, like pyrolysis, involve breaking down plastic into smaller molecules using high heat in the absence of oxygen. Technology transforms plastic waste into raw materials such as oils, gases, and waxes, which can be used as a better alternative to virgin resource extraction. AI and robotics also enter the plastic recycling industry, suggesting new, efficient sorting systems. Robots are taught to identify and sort different types of plastics. Smart solution for your home that can make your home’s soft plastic waste management more efficient and prepare it to be actually recycled. Clear Drop® Soft Plastic Compactor (SPC) is an example being the first home and business appliance to simplify soft plastic collection and ensure it all goes to recycling. It transforms fluffy plastic packaging into a space-saving 12×8×4-inch block. Clear Drop sends free mailing envelopes with pre-paid labels to ship compacted plastic blocks directly to the facility. Unlike grocery store drop-offs or similar products, SPC guarantees that no soft plastic is left out of the recycling chain. Consumer responsibility still plays a significant role in the whole plastic recycling process. Before plastic recycling, you can think of cutting the amount of waste and reducing your soft plastic consumption. Think about changing one habit and buying some products in refillable shops instead of contributing to plastic packaging, buy from local markets with your reusable shopper bags and beeswax wraps for food. Reorganize your waste management - keep soft plastic waste separate from other recyclables to prevent contamination in the recycling facilities. Read and share with your community information about restrictions for curbside recycling programs and verify your local recycling policies to prevent contamination. Use store drop-off recycling programs with retailers like Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods. They often provide collection bins for plastic bags and certain plastic films. The How2Recycle program offers a Store Drop-Off label, guiding consumers on which plastics are eligible for these programs. As consumers, we can play a pivotal role in reducing plastic waste by rethinking our consumption habits, organizing our home waste management, and correctly disposing of soft plastics through specialized recycling programs.
