Why are we seeing an increasing demand for municipal compost programs? 👉 Landfill Capacity and Placement – While landfills serve an important civil function, they also require large areas of land and have a finite capacity. According to ReFED, 24 percent (54 million tons) of all food in the United States is wasted and is the number one material we send to landfills. As more land is required to accommodate waste, the pressure on available land increases, potentially leading to deforestation and loss of wildlife habitats. 👉 Environmental Concerns – Landfills are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. When organic waste decomposes in landfills it produces methane emissions, which are 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Additionally organic waste contains valuable nutrients that can be used to improve the health of the soil. By diverting food scraps from landfills and turning it into compost, local governments can close the loop on wasted organic nutrients and reduce emissions. 👉 Economic Benefits – Diverting organic waste from landfills can create economic benefits by creating new jobs in the waste management and recycling industries, extending the life of our landfills, and promoting alternative land use in low-income communities (which are disproportionately impacted by landfills and heavy industry). 👉 Regulatory Pressure – In many areas, local governments are increasing regulatory pressure to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and increase recycling rates. Diverting organic waste from landfills is one way to achieve these goals. Learn more about municipal compost programs here: https://lnkd.in/gquazmix
Thank you for reposting this, David. Every community should have a program like this.
Amy Bartucci
3mo
Should be required reading! Well done.
Excellent summary!!
So exciting to see more municipal composting programs starting up across our state!