The Benefits of Composting in the Workplace
As an employer, you have a key role to play in raising your teams’ awareness of environmental and social issues, particularly in the context of CSR. Encouraging these practices helps to set an example and encourage appropriate behaviour. By giving your employees a sense of responsibility, your company takes on a new dimension.
Adding value to your waste by using different composting methods can :
- boost your brand image
- commit to a responsible approach
- be part of an innovative movement
- reduce the volume of waste to be processed
- reduce waste collection and treatment costs
Composting, a Pillar of the Circular Economy
Indeed, it is a key practice in the circular economy. Composting adds value to organic waste by transforming it into useful compost. Companies can thus convert their waste into a beneficial resource. These methods are part of a zero–waste, value-for-money approach. In other words, composting reduces environmental impact while enhancing the value of capital.
Biodegradable and Compostable: The Materials of Tomorrow
Biomaterials as a Remedy for Plastic Waste
With the growing adoption of biodegradable materials, composting is more relevant than ever for businesses. Companies in the catering, distribution and production sectors are particularly concerned. These industries produce large quantities of waste (plastic and organic). Composting enables them to reduce this volume and comply with environmental regulations.
Bioplastics and Composting: The Potential of PHAs
In the battle against traditional plastics, bioplastics are gaining in popularity. Among them, PHA biopolymers stand out for their unique properties. Produced by fermentation of renewable raw materials. These plastics biodegrade naturally, whatever the environment, without leaving any toxic residues. For companies, adopting PHA as a solution is a responsible initiative, whatever the composting method.
The Benefits of PHA for Businesses
- reduce the use of petroleum-based plastics
- minimise greenhouse gas emissions
- comply with current and future regulations
- enhance brand image
- raise employee awareness of environmental issues
- encourage the circular economy
- meet consumers’ growing expectations for sustainable products
PHA: Composted, but First, How and why are they Used?
- PHA has been awarded “OK Compost” certification by TÜV Austria. This biosourced and biodegradable plastic can be composted without being in any particular environment. So it’s easy to keep things simple. PHA can be used for the following applications:
- packaging film, bags, boxes, household items, disposable tableware
- coating materials for capsules (medicines) and transdermal patches
- medical sutures and materials for absorbable medical devices
- elastic materials, adhesives, small components for 3D printing
- food packaging, containers, agricultural products and marine applications
Composting Methods for Businesses
Heap Composting Method
This method is the simplest and least expensive. As its name suggests, it involves stacking organic waste in piles. The micro-organisms break down the material over time. This technique is ideal when you have a lot of space, which is why farms and food processing plants use it. The problem? The heap composting method requires you to keep track of the proportions between green and brown materials.
Windrow Composting Method
The waste is laid out in long rows called windrows. The windrows must be turned regularly to promote oxygenation. This method is suitable for companies with large quantities of waste to process, as in agriculture. And there you have it, composting produces (free of charge) a quality substrate in just a few months!
Composting in Bins
This method is best suited to small businesses. The waste is placed in special bins where the temperature and humidity can be controlled during the decomposition process. Restaurants, hotels and urban businesses can adopt this approach. A little bonus: the bins are easy to fit into small spaces, and some towns have even installed communal composts.
Industrial Composting Method
This process uses forced aeration systems. It precisely controls composting conditions to speed up the process. This type of composting is often managed by specialist companies. It can process large volumes of waste in just a few weeks. Outsourcing this method of composting is a solution for companies that generate a lot of waste, but it does come at a cost.
Composting is a winning strategy for companies wishing to reduce their environmental impact. By integrating bioplastics – such as PHA – companies can convert their packaging into compostable resources and reduce their production/consumption of non-recyclable plastic waste. Ready to bet on biopolymers for a (slightly) more prosperous world?
