The Benefits of Organic Waste

What is organic recycling? Organic recycling is an alternative method of solid waste management that involves the reuse of waste to generate energy. The term organic in this context means "relating to or derived from living organisms", and thus excludes industrial, chemical, and nuclear wastes, which are not generally considered suitable for the process. The "O" in "Bio-O" stands for "Organic", while "Bio" refers to the utilization of biological processes. Bio-O technology employs aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to ferment biomass. The microbes break down and consume waste material, producing carbon dioxide, methane, and water as byproducts. The gas produced by the process may be used as fuel in a cogeneration process to generate electricity or heat, or it may be used as feedstock for conversion into methanol or ethanol. In addition, compost can be made from the remaining organic matter and returned to the land as fertilizer.

The Benefits of Organic Recycling

Energy-saving. The main benefit of recycling organic material is the reduction of waste. Organic material is a renewable resource that can be used to make new products, thus eliminating the need for manufacturers to use nonrenewable resources. Organic recycling also reduces greenhouse gas emissions and toxic waste. The main types of organic materials that are recycled are paper, textile fibers, and food/garden waste. These materials are generally composted if they cannot be reused in their original form. Composting is important because it allows these materials to be reused as a natural fertilizer, reducing the need for artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Reduce air pollution: When organic waste is disposed of in a landfill, it decomposes without air and produces methane gas which is harmful to the environment. To prevent this from happening, food scraps can be taken out of the trash and instead used in compost bins or piles. They provide the soil with necessary nutrients for plants to grow and keep the environment clean by preventing air pollution caused by methane gas formation.

Toxic waste can be reduced by using the waste as fertilizer for crops instead of throwing it into landfills. Both soil and water are negatively affected by toxic waste. The chemicals from the fertilizers taken from landfills are harmful to both soil and water, which can cause pollution. The quality of soil decreases once these chemicals make their way into the soil. Crops grown in contaminated soil have lower yields, which reduces the number of crops produced in a given year. Also, once crops are harvested, people may be exposed to the toxic chemicals through produce or grains that have been grown with contaminated fertilizer. By turning these unused products into fertilizer, fewer contaminants make their way into the environment, improving the quality of both soil and water.