What are the benefits of organics recycling?

(Information from the International Composting Foundation)

  • The use of landfill space and incineration can be reduced by at least one-third when organics are recycled. 
  • Methane, a greenhouse twenty-five times as powerful as carbon dioxide, can be significantly reduced through the recycling of organics instead of their being landfilled.
  • Soil health and productivity is dependent on organic matter – the essence of compost -- to provide the sustenance for the biological diversity in the soil. Plants depend on this to convert materials into plant-available nutrients and to keep the soil well-aerated. Additional benefits include the reduced need for pesticide usage to ward off soil-borne and other plant diseases.
  • Compost offers a significant answer to climate change mitigation.  Compost’s return to the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
  • Compost is a huge benefit for both water conservation and quality. When used in water quality projects, compost bind pollutants to the organics material and prevents them from entering our lakes, wetlands, streams and rivers. Soil erosion is mitigated, and water-holding capacity improved through compost’s enhancement of soil structure, binding soil particles together.
  • Supports a local economy. About 700 jobs are supported by Minnesota’s composting industry, which produces $148 million in gross economic activity per year. The composting industry supports four to eight times more jobs on a per ton basis than landfilling operations.

 

Show All Answers

1. My organics cart was not picked up on my scheduled day. What should I do?
2. What day is my organics recycling picked up/How frequently is the cart emptied?
3. Can tea bags go into the organics bin?
4. Can I use regular plastic bags to collect organics?
5. Do the materials have to be bagged before putting inside the cart?
6. How is organics recycling different from backyard composting?
7. What is the difference between biodegradable vs compostable?
8. How do I know if the item is for recycling bin or for the compost/organics recycling bin?
9. I live in an apartment/condo and I would like to participate. How do I get started?
10. Do businesses in Edina participate in the organics recycling program?
11. What should I do if I want to participate, but I don't have room in my garage?
12. What are the benefits of organics recycling?
13. Why is Organics Recycling part of Edina’s services?
14. How much does this program cost me?
15. Can I change the size of my organics cart?
16. Can I opt out or decline a cart?
17. Where does the stuff I put in the organics cart go?
18. I want to promote this on social media. Which hashtags should I use?
19. What about these jumping worms I heard about?
20. How can I prevent or get rid of maggots in my organics recycling cart?
21. When is the next compost giveaway?