Fact Sheet: Compost: A Rich Source of Benefits
Compost: A rich source of benefits
Composting waste is a powerful sustainability
initiative. It brings about a host of environmental, economic and community
benefits such as:
- improving greenlife by returning nutrients to the earth;
- heightening water efficiency;
- reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
- reducing waste to landfill; and
- generating cost savings through recycling materials, reducing water consumption and avoiding expensive landfill.
Our Earth
Compost improves soil conditions for healthier plants in several ways. Firstly, compost addresses the causes of nitrification and salinity and neutralises soils, bringing pH levels to the optimal range for plants to take up nutrients. It also gives slow release to macro and micro nutrients, which reduces the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Compost also adds structure to soil by binding clusters of soil particles. The resulting aggregates, as they are called, give the soil lots of tiny air channels and pores to hold moisture and nutrients, which in turn helps vegetation to become established while reducing soil erosion.
Thirdly, compost works to loosen tightly bound particles in clay or silt soil. This allows roots to spread, air to penetrate and water to drain.
Additionally, compost provides a welcoming environment for earthworms, bacteria, fungi and other plant-friendly creatures whose activities strengthen plants and increase disease-resistance.
Our Water
Composting improves water use efficiency and reduces contamination, promoting both the supply and quality of water.
By improving soil structure, water infiltration and water holding capacity are increased. This eases demand for irrigation water in horticulture and agriculture. Just a 5% increase in organic material quadruples soil’s water holding capacity!
Applying composted mulch can reduce the water volume required to irrigate land and gardens by 30% and it suppresses weed growth. Mulch can also reduce water run off by over 70% and minimise nutrient loss.
Further, by converting liquid and solid wastes into recycled organic products that help prevent leaching of nutrients into waterways, composting can improve water quality.
Our Planet
Our planet is under pressure and composting can help by providing a productive, responsible and sustainable waste management alternative that works to abate – not contribute to – climate change.
It is estimated that decomposing organic material, such as cardboard and food scraps, creates around 90% of greenhouse gas emissions from landfill, most potently in the form of methane – a greenhouse gas around 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Diverting this waste by composting organics prevents significant carbon emissions.
Composting food organics can reduce the quantity of waste going to landfill by up to 50%. If landfilled without treatment, organic materials release leachates and methane as they break down.
Our Communities
Composting reduces landfill and provides nutrient for the earth, which in turn means a healthier, more attractive environment. This makes for more sustainable communities and reduces their costs by curbing the need for increasingly expensive landfilling. Likewise, by promoting more efficient water consumption, the community enjoys reduced water bills and places less strain on this precious resource.
What does WSN do about organic material?
In short, lots.
At our sites, we receive garden organics such as trees, shrubs and untreated timber. This is processed to produce compost, mulch and biofuel for renewable energy. Compost and mulch are processed further by Camden Soil Mix to produce a variety of high quality soils and mixes for use in gardens and parks, agriculture and sportsfields.
At our new Ecolibrium Mixed Waste facility, located at Macarthur Resource Recovery Park, the organic component of household mixed waste is converted into green electricity and fertiliser. Garden organics are processed using state of the art tunnel composting technology. Learn more about Macarthur Resource Recovery Park.
At the UR-3R facility at Eastern Creek, food and garden organics are processed together to produce a range of organic growth media as well as green electricity.
WSN’s landfills are also engineered to capture methane and leachate. Captured methane is then converted into green electricity and exported to the grid.
What can you do?
If your council offers a separate green waste bin, be sure to separate your garden organics from your general waste for kerbside collection. You can relax knowing that your waste is being put into productive use to create valuable resources such as compost and renewable energy for a healthier planet.
You may wish to start a home compost system to manage your food and garden waste sustainably. You can then use this organic compost to nurture your plants and garden. To learn more about home composting, contact your local council. Alternatively, there is a wealth of useful information about home composting available online. The Sustainability Victoria website is a good place to start.
Nourish your garden with recycled compost material – your plants will thank you for it.
If you are taking rubbish to a waste facility, be sure to separate garden organics and deliver them to the appropriate drop-off point.
Sources
Washington State University Whatcom County Composting
Compost Australia
