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What are the Advantages of Composting?
Every day, tons of natural resources are wasted as trash. A large portion of this waste is organic. Therefore, composting has economic and environmental benefits that companies and households can take advantage of.
It’s estimated that organic waste makes up between 30 and 50% of all urban solid waste. So, managing them properly is crucial. A large part ends up in landfills and incinerators, meaning they’re wasted. Organic waste can help restore soil fertility.
Composting is an aerobic process (with oxygen), without bad smells or rot, where organic matter is transformed by soil microorganisms and decomposers. The result is compost, a quality organic fertilizer that provides almost the same beneficial effects to land as humus does to natural soil.
Read more about how to create your own Compost.
Environmental Benefits of Composting
But, what benefits does composting have for society? Firstly, it has the following environmental benefits:
- The cycle of organic matter is closed.
- Recover and recycle natural resources.
- Reducing the amount of urban solid waste sent to landfills or incineration, avoiding problems like soil pollution and emissions from landfill decomposition or incinerator burning.
- The compost from the process promotes land productivity without contaminating it with harmful chemicals for ecosystems that end up in our food chain.
- It’s a natural fertilizer, soil structure corrector, erosion protector, and growing substrate.
- It can also be used in gardens and recreational areas to protect and improve their fertilization needs.
- Immature or shredded pruning waste compost can also be used as mulch in municipal squares, tree pits, etc., creating spaces in the city closer to nature.
Economic Benefits of Composting
But it also has social and economic benefits:
It’s a form of environmental education. It encourages citizen participation and values such as responsibility, teamwork, or respect for others. For municipalities, it means saving on the collection and management expenses of organic waste.
