Better Earth unveils comprehensive composting database for sustainable living

USA – Better Earth, a specialist in compostable food service packaging, has launched the Compost Drop-Off Database, a new tool designed to connect consumers with local compost drop-off locations.

This initiative is part of the company’s broader effort to map out the national compost infrastructure, including haulers and deposit sites.

The sustainability team at Better Earth has identified 315 composting facilities that accept food waste across 43 states, 250 hauling companies that support composting efforts, and 457 compost drop-off sites.

These resources aim to improve households’ access to composting their organic material across the US.

Better Earth’s circularity coordinator, Blair Michal, spearheaded the initiative in 2023. Michal and the team worked with existing state and federal databases to develop what they describe as “one of the most up-to-date US compost infrastructure databases in the industry.”

Better Earth will audit and update the data annually to ensure its accuracy and relevance.

Michal emphasizes the significance of the project, noting that over 1,000 data points have been mapped, reflecting the growing momentum in the commercial composting industry.

“With almost half of those being drop-off sites, it’s great to see how accessible composting is becoming,” he says.

“This also demonstrates the potential to strengthen circular systems within our communities.”

Compost drop-off sites are locations where residents can dispose of their organic waste, such as food scraps and compostable packaging, at no additional cost.

These sites are crucial in engaging communities in the composting process and its benefits. Once collected, the organic waste is transported to local composting facilities and processed into nutrient-rich soil amendments.

The accessibility of these drop-off locations is vital in combating negative climate impacts, especially considering that nearly 40% of food in the US is wasted and sent to landfills, while only 5% is composted.

In related efforts to tackle food waste, Walmart and Denali, a recycler of organic materials, have partnered to offer depackaging services to improve food waste recycling at over 1,400 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the US.

Meanwhile, Polish tech company Fresh Inset is addressing food waste through packaging solutions with its Vidre+ technology, a sticker placed inside food packaging that slows the ripening and spoilage of fresh produce by shielding it from ethylene gas.

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