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We were given a green waste bin a few years ago. We use it, but I've always wondered... I doubt anyone is sorting through this waste in any useful sense. How in

We were given a green waste bin a few years ago. We use it, but I've always wondered... I doubt anyone is sorting through this waste in any useful sense. How in the world would we ever prevent cross-contimination between non-green waste and green waste? My neighbor, she's well meaning, but she puts her green waste into regular trash bags and chucks it into the green waste bin. That's been going on for 3 years now. I've mentioned it to her and she doesn't seem to get it.

toast0 3y ago
Green waste goes into some sort of composting system. Maybe a bit of compacting on the truck which can break open some of the bags (but doesn't break all of them), then however many days of stick it in a pile, mix up the pile/stick it in a new pile, then filter for big pieces: everything small is organic compost, big items remaining in the compost get resorted. Your local waste hauler may do compost giveaways in conjunction with your sanitary district. If so, that's where that compost product goes and if you use it, you'll see some small non-organic materials make it through, including bits of plastic bags; but the process means they can label it organic compost.
Scoundreller 3y ago
Depends on how your system handles it. In Toronto, they basically pulp it all, put it in a vat of water and scoop off the plastics at the top and really heavy stuff at the bottom before letting it do it's thing in a sealed digester. As a result, they even accept diapers because they'll at least soak off the stuff worth composting. A last step is to heat it enough to kill off any pathogens. Also accepts meat/fish/bones. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/organic-waste-composting-1.5291132 https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/organic-waste-composting-1.5... If your system is just throwing everything into a big piles getting mixed around ("aerated"), the rules get different. Another city that uses the classic "big piles" method had to ban grass clippings because they contributed to too much odour (too much nitrogen = lots of ammonia, but would've made great fertilizer) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/green-bin-composting-1.4826899 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/green-bin-composting...
- scruple 3y ago
  That's fascinating, I'll have to research my local agency and see if I can find out more. Thanks!

toast0 3y ago

Green waste goes into some sort of composting system. Maybe a bit of compacting on the truck which can break open some of the bags (but doesn't break all of them), then however many days of stick it in a pile, mix up the pile/stick it in a new pile, then filter for big pieces: everything small is organic compost, big items remaining in the compost get resorted. Your local waste hauler may do compost giveaways in conjunction with your sanitary district. If so, that's where that compost product goes and if you use it, you'll see some small non-organic materials make it through, including bits of plastic bags; but the process means they can label it organic compost.

Scoundreller 3y ago

Depends on how your system handles it. In Toronto, they basically pulp it all, put it in a vat of water and scoop off the plastics at the top and really heavy stuff at the bottom before letting it do it's thing in a sealed digester. As a result, they even accept diapers because they'll at least soak off the stuff worth composting. A last step is to heat it enough to kill off any pathogens. Also accepts meat/fish/bones. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/organic-waste-composting-1.5291132 https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/organic-waste-composting-1.5... If your system is just throwing everything into a big piles getting mixed around ("aerated"), the rules get different. Another city that uses the classic "big piles" method had to ban grass clippings because they contributed to too much odour (too much nitrogen = lots of ammonia, but would've made great fertilizer) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/green-bin-composting-1.4826899 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/green-bin-composting...

scruple 3y ago
That's fascinating, I'll have to research my local agency and see if I can find out more. Thanks!