{"id":7358,"date":"2023-11-15T18:46:29","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T07:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/?p=7358"},"modified":"2024-01-02T15:33:38","modified_gmt":"2024-01-02T04:33:38","slug":"benefits-of-composting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.compostconnect.org\/uk\/benefits-of-composting\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of Composting"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Benefits of Composting: Why Is It So Important?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Want to know how soil and compost can reverse climate change?<\/p>

Watch Kiss The Ground<\/a> \u2013 The Soil Story \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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According to the UN<\/a>, if food waste were a country it\u2019d be the third largest global greenhouse gas emitter. Around 1.3 billion tonnes of food are thrown away each year, representing 3.3 billion tonnes in annual carbon dioxide emissions (<\/span>source<\/a>). That\u2019s a big problem on our hands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

So what should we do about it?\u00a0<\/p>

Where does composting come into the picture?\u00a0<\/p>

And what are the benefits of composting \u2013 for people and the planet?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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First, What Is Composting?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Composting is the natural recycling and decomposing of organic materials.\u00a0<\/p>

Organic matter, like leaves, food scraps and even compostable packaging, are broken down by organisms to create a nutrient-rich fertiliser. This process turns what otherwise would be regarded as a waste product into an incredibly beneficial resource \u2013\u00a0for people and the planet.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why Is Composting So Important? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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You might be wondering why composting is important \u2013\u00a0can\u2019t you just send your food waste to landfill and it does the same thing?\u00a0<\/p>

Well, not exactly.\u00a0<\/p>

A landfill environment doesn\u2019t have light or oxygen, which interferes with the decomposing process. For this reason, when food waste winds up in landfill it emits methane, a greenhouse gas around 28 times more potent than CO2<\/a>. These emissions contribute to trapping heat under the ozone layer and warming up the earth’s climate.<\/p>

Not only that, decaying food waste in an anaerobic environment can create \u2018leachate\u2019 \u2013 a harmful liquid that leaches from landfills. If leachate is not properly collected and managed, it can leak into the groundwater and cause contamination.<\/p>

But composting isn\u2019t just important because it reduces environmental harm caused by food waste going to landfill \u2013 it can actually benefit soil, plants, people and the planet.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Environmental Benefits of Composting<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Creates a Nutrient-Rich Resource<\/b><\/p>

Instead of contributing to landfill emissions, composted waste adds nutrients and beneficial microorganisms to the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. This can regenerate depleted soils and contribute to healthy plants.<\/p>

Reduces Carbon Emissions<\/b><\/p>

By composting food waste and other organics, methane emissions from landfill will be significantly reduced. Not only that, compost captures the carbon content of the organic waste it’s made of, and then stores this carbon in the ground when the compost is applied.\u00a0<\/p>

Creates Healthy Plants<\/b><\/p>

Nutrient-rich compost can encourage thriving plant growth while naturally reducing plant diseases and warding off pests.<\/p>

Conserves Water<\/b><\/p>

Healthy soils rich in organic matter can retain more water. This can ultimately help conserve water in the irrigation process, manage stormwater, and reduce the impact of drought.\u00a0<\/p>

Improves Agricultural Yields<\/b><\/p>

Composting adds valuable nutrients to the soil, which in turn improves overall soil health and promotes higher yields of agricultural crops. It can also cut agricultural water and fertiliser costs.\u00a0<\/p>

Prevents Soil Erosion<\/b><\/p>

Compost adds valuable nutrients to the soil, like nitrogen and phosphorus. This gives it the ability to hold more water and to grow healthier plants with deeper roots, making the soil less susceptible to erosion.\u00a0<\/p>

Habitat Restoration<\/b><\/p>

Compost can help aid reforestation, wetlands restoration and habitat revitalisation efforts by improving contaminated, compacted and marginal soils.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Economic Benefits of Composting<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The cost of sending rotting waste to landfill can range between $45 – $105 per tonne in urban areas.<\/a> A cost that can certainly add up when we consider Australia sends 1.3 billion tonnes of food waste to landfill every year.\u00a0 By composting food waste, we can reduce these costs.<\/p>

In the agricultural sector, improved soil health through the application of compost means less money will be going toward expensive fertilisers and irrigation.<\/p>

In 2020, the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) published a report on the direct economic benefits of composting.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>

Here\u2019s what they found:<\/p>