Date: 2025-08-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00018335
Media News
Environment / Natural Systems
Circular Weekly: February 21, 2020 ... Composting's complexities
Peter Burgess
Lauren Phipps 9:02 AM (3 hours ago) to me Composting's complexities These days, recycling gets all the attention. Yet while the world scoffs at global recycling rates and panics at plastic pollution, I often wonder when a similar wave of public outrage will arrive for recycling’s biological counterpart: the humble world of compost. In the U.S., only about 5 percent of households have access to curbside food waste collection, compared to about 50 percent of U.S. homes with automatic curbside recycling available. Looking at municipal solid waste in the U.S., only 2.6 millions tons of the food waste generated in 2017 were composted — just 6.3 percent of the 40.7 million tons of total food waste generated, according to an EPA estimate. Access to curbside organics recycling is just one piece of the broader challenge that cities are facing when it comes to capturing, transporting, breaking down and selling compost at scale. For starters, there’s contamination. The presence of PFAS in some compostable and biodegradable packaging has threatened agricultural end markets, particularly for organic agriculture. (If food is grown in PFAS-contaminated compost, it’s not organic — and possibly harmful.) Then, there’s confusion. Given that compostable cups, plates and utensils look identical to their non-compostable counterparts, even consumers with access to composting don’t always know (or consider) the appropriate bin. Organizations like the Biodegradable Products Institute are working to certify and standardize compostability claims, but there’s currently no legal standard. And once these materials reach a processing facility, there’s no chance operators can tell if these servicewares are compostable once jumbled among a stream of food waste and other organics. Let’s not forget about quality. Not all “certified” compostable items will actually break down as quickly or fully as facilities need them to. This has led some composters, including those serving the state of Oregon, to stop accepting compostable packaging and serviceware altogether. Taking a step back, it’s important to remember what the purpose of compost actually is. This nutrient-rich material is meant to enhance soil to grow better food. Accordingly, it’s not surprising that farmers seeking to procure high-quality compost for crops would avoid a product made from a lower-quality, lower-nutrient medley of materials laden with fragments of packaging. Finally, there’s a small, but growing, emphasis on accountability. Take Sweetgreen, the fast-casual restaurant known for seasonal salads and hexagonal bowls: despite the proud proclamation,“nothing from inside Sweetgreen goes to the landfill” on in-store signage since 2010, the company recently learned that, in fact, the claim was untrue. This recent Los Angeles Times article tells Sweetgreen’s still-unfolding story of navigating composting’s complexities and chronicles its latest efforts to uphold waste claims and establish truly closed-loop systems. I highly recommend the article for its compelling narrative and comprehensive exploration of the topic, through the lens of a company working to make the “right” choices. There are indeed a number of small-but-mighty groups working hard to make compost the new plastic in the public eye. Organizations like ReFED, whose analysis builds an economic case for solutions across the value chain that will cut food waste; the US Composting Council, whose just-launched Corporate Compost Leadership Group will focus on scaling tools and strategies to grow composting capacity in the U.S.; and LA Compost, a nonprofit working to establish community-scale composting in Los Angeles; have made great strides in diverting organics from landfills and scaling composting infrastructure. Still, there’s a lot more to chew on. Establishing an effective organics recycling system at scale requires a broader look at food loss and waste from farms to factories and distribution centers to dining room tables. It’s a systemic challenge that needs holistic solutions, and applying a circular lens is just one piece of the puzzle. I’m excited to announce the launch of Food Weekly — GreenBiz’s latest newsletter — which will focus on forging sustainable food systems, including the latest developments in regenerative agriculture, alternative proteins, food waste management and more. Food Weekly is written by journalist Jim Giles, GreenBiz’s analyst on Food and Carbon, and I strongly encourage you to subscribe today. On the horizon: Circularity 20 (May 18-20) is fast approaching! Rates go up on Feb. 28, so I encourage you not to wait. As a newsletter subscriber, you can get an extra 15 percent off with code C20NLC. Register here. One more thing: “How Consumer Engagement Can Drive Circularity,” a report by GreenBiz Research and GlobeScan, is now available. Based on interviews with 20 global circular economy experts, and data from 25,000 survey respondents in GlobeScan’s 2019 Healthy & Sustainable Living study, the analysis offers insights on the barriers that may inhibit circularity from scaling, and explores how to effectively engage consumers as a driver toward a more circular economy. SPC Impact 2020 Join us at @SPCspotlight's flagship spring event SPC Impact 2020 this March 31 - April 2 in Austin. Centered around Rethinking Purpose, this three-day event will bring sustainability and packaging stakeholders together. REGISTER NOW Stay in the Loop Digging deep 4 ways to scale regenerative ag Weaving it together The potential for circular textiles to have a positive impact on work and workers Water you talking about? Drip, drip, drip: Water is a leading ESG concern Misses Clean Episode 208: Humanizing supply chains, from food waste to household cleanser Identity crisis How digital identities could bring us closer to a circular economy REGISTER Now Trending Report, Report Report Report: ESG, supply chains, net zero and EVs If a tree falls Big businesses are failing forests Real talk Combating burnout in sustainability work Just add nature Finding a natural sense of urgency to act Circularity 20 Early Rates Expire 2/28 Building on the success of a sold-out launch event, Circularity 20 returns to North America this May. Join more than 1,000 thought leaders and practitioners across industries and functions and learn how your company can turn circular economy concepts into profitable opportunities. Register now to save 35% off On-Site rates. REGISTER HERE New Research GreenBiz Report GreenBiz Insights: Energy Resilience GreenBiz Report GreenBiz Insights: Decarbonizing E-Commerce We need to be working together to ensure that our lifestyles, our consumption and everything that is associated with becoming more circular is the result of the fact that each choice a consumer makes is a good choice. Quote arrow “How Consumer Engagement Can Drive Circularity” report ForwardForward View in BrowserView in Browser EnvelopeSubscribe Copyright © GreenBiz Group Inc. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: GreenBiz Group Inc. 350 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza Suite 800 Oakland, California 94612 This email was sent to peterbnyc@gmail.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may unsubscribe at any time.