Food Waste Diversion and Compostable Ware
Coffee dates with a low-waste girl sound like this:
“I’ll take a cup of coffee,” but hold the cup. I have a reusable one.”
The barista takes my metal container and fills it. Big Smile.
OR
“Oops, I forgot my refillable cup. Let’s go to the shop that has compostable take-out cups.”
“Why?” my friend Karen texts back.
“Because then I can put it in my Impact Earth compost bin when I’m done and it will break down along with the other organic waste.”
“Cool. Do they have tea?”
Karen and I grab our tea and coffee-to-go and take it with us on our walk. When we’re done, she drops her cup into a nearby trash can.
“Nooooooooooooooooo……” I almost dumpster-dive into the can to retrieve it.
She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “What’s the problem?”
“That kind of defeats the purpose of getting a compostable cup. Now it’s headed for the landfill where it will become trapped with the other food waste producing methane instead of breaking down into compost.”
“Oh, where should it go instead?”
“Into a bin destined for a compost farm.”
*****
Okay, so I am that low-waste girl and yes I have done both of these. I try to remember to keep my refillable coffee cup in the car because this is the best option. Also, most shops in our area don’t offer compostable take-out cups, let alone ones that BPI approves. The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certifies “items that can be cycled back into the soil safely at a commercial composting facility.” The inner liner of these certified compostable take-out coffee cups and meal containers is made from plants-not petroleum. So just like food, we don’t want them ending up in the landfill. And, you don’t want to be fooled by products that simply say they are biodegradable or even compostable. You really need to look for the BPI symbol.
My friend Karen has tolerated me educating her and sees the value of using BPI certified products when she’s having a big party and needs a disposable option. She’s also excited about her role as a consumer asking businesses to make greener choices.
Useful questions for shop owners
Are your take-out cups and containers BPI compostable?
Do you divert your food/organic waste? (the waste is picked up and taken to a compost farm)
Do you have a disposal bin for food waste and compostable take-out products? Is it clearly marked to keep non-compostable trash out?
If the answer to the questions above is “No,” Karen kindly explains why as a customer who cares about the environment it’s important to her that they consider making a change.
When food waste and compostable products made from plants are thrown into trash cans headed for the landfill, they produce methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. How sad, when the alternative is allowing them to break down into nutritious compost that can be used to grow new plants.
At this, Karen might dab her eyes a bit or mention the businesses that do offer BPI compostable take-out containers and that she might go there instead. She’s so polite that most places don’t want to lose her as a customer. And since she knows that it will take some time and planning for her favorite shops to make a change, she remembers to bring her refillable cup (which is the preferred practice in low-waste living and a choice she has control over).
Of course, Impact Earth is hoping to hear that more businesses will begin saying “Yes! We do divert our organic waste and offer compostable take-out.” To which an educated customer can reply, “I’m so happy to hear that, I will tell all my friends about you!”
As we continue to learn about which local businesses support a low-waste lifestyle, we need your help building our lists. If we’ve missed highlighting a shop or restaurant offering compostable take-out please let us know. We’d love to be the friend that you tell about your positive experiences.
Please send your comments and recommendations to: Nancy Steinkamp