The EPA states that plastic, glass, and paper recycling has become firmly established in the United States, following years of constant expansion. The agency reveals that, in 1960, only about 10% of these materials were recycled in the U.S., but by 2012, this number rose to 36%. Meanwhile, the age-old practice of composting food and yard waste is just starting to gain momentum in American cities. As of 2012, less than 5% of food waste was being recycled, a slight increase from the 1980s when none was recycled at all.
Composting is a natural process that transforms organic matter into nutrient-dense soil via bacterial decomposition. Community composting services collect food scraps like carrot and apple peels and take them to a composting facility, usually a contracted third-party business. This composted material is then sold back to farmers and gardening centers. The cycle from consumer to farm is wonderful, yet the high demand for compost has driven some farmers to cultivate and process vast quantities of easily biodegradable plants.
For instance, San Francisco runs an urban curbside compost collection scheme, providing bins for each property in the city to collect yard waste and food scraps from homes and eateries. Like in many other areas, this material is taken to a recycling center where it’s transformed into organic matter and then used as fertilizer on local farms. With its existing recycling programs, some communities have achieved a recovery rate of 90%, which is impressive. Seattle aims to boost its recycling rate from 56.2% to 70% by 2022. A new rule will mandate all food waste to be composted, with the goal of helping the city achieve a 60% recycling rate next year. New York is also implementing a similar plan. It launched a test composting scheme in June for 100,000 households.
Apart from the fundamental decomposition of plant material through composting, some recycling pioneers have adopted a traditional farming technique that burns organic matter to produce a carbon-rich substance known as biochar. When integrated into the soil, biochar can boost plant growth in deteriorated urban soil by 40%. Our challenge over the next 25 years is to rethink our connection to natural systems. The existing reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy needs a significant shift to better comprehend our relationship with nature.
Table: Current and Projected Recycling Rates in U.S. Cities
| City | Current Rate (%) | Projected Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | 90 | 90 |
| Seattle | 56.2 | 70 |
Top Benefits of Composting
- Reduces landfill waste
- Enriches soil with nutrients
- Helps maintain soil moisture
Major Challenges in Recycling and Composting
- Public awareness and participation
- Regulations and policies
- Infrastructure and funding