WHY SHOULD BUSINESSES COMPOST ON SITE?

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING?
- It helps to divert tonnes of food waste away from landfill.
- It turns food waste into a valuable resource.
- It enables companies to close the waste management loop.
- It saves thousands of pounds in off-site disposal costs.
- It reduces global greenhouse gases.
- It decreases pollution levels – fewer trucks on the road means cleaner air.
- It creates a nutrient-rich resource that can be used in growing projects.
- It generates jobs – especially in city-wide food waste collection projects.
- It improves the structure and quality of the soil – promoting healthy plant and producing growth.
- It makes the produce we grow more nutritious – meaning healthier, happier human beings!
- It omits the need to use more synthetic, chemical fertilisers.
- It eliminates our reliance upon using peat-based composts, which are damaging to the environment and peatland ecosystems.

WHY PUT COMPOST BACK IN THE GROUND?
1. RESTORING SOIL HEALTH
One of the great things about compost, also known as ‘black gold’, is that it boosts soil’s organic matter, improving soil quality by reducing erosion and strengthening the structure. It acts as an overall nutrient provider replenishing lifeless soil with a fertile equivalent.
2. INCREASING WATER CAPACITY
Adding compost to the soil can drastically boost the soil’s ability to hold water, meaning that plants and products have a healthier environment in which to grow. Also, compost omits the need to use synthetic fertilizers which can contain harmful chemicals, helping to protect our natural environment.
3. MAKING COMMERCIAL SENSE
By composting on-site, organisations save money by removing the need for off-site disposal, but they can greatly reduce transport-related carbon emissions too. This activity also moves them further up the waste hierarchy into ‘prevention of waste’, and demonstrates their commitment to sustainability.
4. IMPROVING AIR QUALITY
It also helps to purify the air that we breathe. Nutrient-rich compost is a vital component in the carbon sequestration process, removing CO2 from our atmosphere and storing it in the ground, helping to rebalance our atmosphere and undo the effects of climate change.