It Started with a question “Can pizza boxes be composted”
If we were prone to bragging, we may call ourselves experts on compostable packaging and composting, but being the humble lot we are we are going to call ourselves knowledgably on the subject.
So we have created a new section to answer all of those burning questions about what is recyclable, compostable, biodegradable etc.
So here is our first questions and answer section ( we will be posting other questions when someone asks us a question) , if you have a question fire it away and ask Charlie - I have a question
Please note we are answering these question as if your Council , Country or Government composts plant based packaging ( tree, bagasse, PLA etc) but not all countries and councils and Governments compost plant based packaging, so if your un-sure please check your Governmental websites as every area seems to be doing their own thing.
“Can pizza boxes be composted”
Yes absolutely (once you remove the plastic table thing if they have them) but a bit of pre prep will help them to break down.
- Clean out it's contents.
- Rip it up - the smaller the size the quicker it will break down.
- Mix it up - turn your compost as this helps it keep heat and moisture levels at their best.
“Can pizza boxes be recycled”
Most Government organisation do not recycle used pizza boxes , I'm sure their may be a rare example who do but none we have found.
“What's the point in composting”
This is one of those surprising but common question we get asked ( it surprises us too) but the reasons are numerous , one of the overlooked ones is that adding it to your composter leaves space in your bin and with reductions in your bin sizes , this is becoming more important but the most obvious benefits are environmental, here's a simple guide.
“So what can be composted”
Just about anything that was once alive ( let's call these natural materials) or is derived from natural materials can be composted.
Let's start with the three basic types of materials that can be used in composters
Green
- Fruit & vegetables including peels.
- Coffee grounds and tea leaves ( these are really great for composters as they are full of nitrogen).
- Household plants.
- Grass and organic plant waste.
- Flowers from valentines day or when someone wants to say “sorry” ( this tends to be when we send flowers).
- Rice & Pastas ( some avoid un-cooked rice due to the fear of pest contaminations but we have added un-cooked rice without issue).
- Bread.
- Corn cobs ( these do take a while to break down which is something to be aware of).
- Our plant based products, legal disclaimer here , but we have composted our products in a home composter but some of them do take a lot longer to break down in home composters due to the lower heat but we have tested them without issue, PLA tends to take about 1 year in a healthy composter and longer in a new composter, so it's up to you whether you add them or would prefer a commercial compost route which can take as little as 4 weeks.
- Herbs and spices.
- Egg shells.
- Fruit jams that have spoiled ( or Jelly if you live across the pond).
- Grains and cereals.
Browns
- Paper - remember if it's a glossy finish it may contain plastics so don't add glossy paper.
- Cardboard - spoiled or unspoiled , this is controversial but we have tested spoiled in ours without issue and without effection our healthy soil food web.
- Garden organic waste.
- Un-used tissues, apparently it is safe to add used ones, but personally we don't want to try it.
- Coffee filters.
- Woods chips.
Reds
I should add something about these as they can be added to your composters but some do (we do) but some don't as there are some complications to be aware of.
- Dairy.
- Cooked food scraps.
- Meats.
Issues with composting these
- Smells - They can give off some un-pleasant smells so we would recommend if you do compost them to add them aware from people traffic areas.
- Pests - They will attract pests , we stopped adding them as they did attracts rats but they also attracts bees ( for some reason) and biting flies and in North America you may end up with a very unpleasant visitor (bears love food waste).
- They tend to go all mushy which in the short term can effect the aeration of your composter.
- Decomposition time - they take much longer to break down as they do like high heat to break down and most composters do not have the heat to break them down quickly.
If you want to add all organic waste to your composter you will need to go down the anaerobic route ( most composters are aerobic) so we recommend adding a bokashi bran to neutralise the odours and reduce and hopefully eliminate the pest element.
How to make a bokashi bran
- Molasses work best but sugar and syrups can also be used - 2 tablespoons
- Water - 4 standard cups works well.
- Bran , this allows the bacteria a place to live on - 1814 grams.
- Microbes without adding microbes the bokashi bran just rots so it needs the microbes to keep it active and health , the most common is EM-1 but you should be able to get away with any organic microbial inoculant - 2 tablespoons.
- An airtight container - you will need to mix them up.
Mix all the ingredients together until it's like an oatmeal cookie dough.
Place in a cool dry place for two weeks.
It will be ready when it smells like a cider or had a yeast smell.
leave it somewhere with the lid off until it dries out and then add it to your composter.
Of course you can also buy your bokashi bran but it isn't as much fun.
How to create a healthy composter
This is some learning from our own test home composter we use for our products.
- Materials - We find that using 2 parts of brown materials with 1 part greens creates a perfect healthy balance.
- Turning - Turn your composter as often as possible , we do ours one a week and this has created a perfectly healthy composter and it adds the much needed oxygen to create a perfect balance of moisture, heat and air.
- Moisture - Keep it wet, not soaking but wet as composters need heat and water to create the perfect humidity.
- Shred - if you are using items like paper and cardboard, break them down to speed up decomposition.
- Microbes - Add those microbes we mentioned above.
- Patience - Like all good things it takes time , if you see lots of insects then your doing well but give it time.
- Location - If you are hiding it away from the sun , it won't have the heat needed.
- Balance - Remember a healthy composter needs , heat+mositure+oxygen , if it's missing any of these it's not going to be a healthy composter.
If your one of those patient types who has made it all the way to the bottom, here is some of the benefits from using composted materials to replace shop bought composts.
You stop using compost from peat
This is a real problem that is sadly not well known but extracting peat for use in bags of compost actually releases 630,000 tonnes of Co2 into the atmosphere as it's nature's carbon sponge, it is actually 2½ times more effective at removing carbon than trees.
Find out more about the importance of Peat lands here.
Improves the soil quality
The most obvious benefit is that it saves your business money as they can be put in your food waste, reducing your waste collection costs but there is more to love about composting than just money.
Compost energises the soil food web, which is made up of microscopic bacteria and fungi, along with earthworms, crickets, and many other life forms, improving bio diversity.
Increased nutrient content
When organic material is broken down in a compost pile, the decomposition process produces the best fertiliser you can get improving what is referred to as the soil food web.
Leading to a diverse and active organic structure which feeds a huge range of species which in turn create macro nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and micro nutrients such as manganese, copper, iron and zinc all of which improve the bio diversity of the local area and improve the quality, taste and health of plants grown in a natural fertiliser rich soil.
Water reduction and flood reduction
Improving soil structure and boosting nutrient content is about more than producing healthier crops. Fertile soil also has far greater moisture retention, allowing you to use less water in your garden. With the introduction of organic matter, heavy soils are better equipped to hold water and resist compaction reducing erosion and runoff.
Test conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency found that natural fertiliser can retain 60567 litres per acre for every 1% of natural fertiliser and a further study shows that the healthiest soil structure should contain at least 5% of organic fertiliser which means on average over 302,000 more water retention per acre, so surprisingly natural fertiliser can reduce the risk of flooding and plant deaths through rotting.
Healthier soil
Research undertaken also by the University of Illinois shows that natural organic compost tends to produce plants with fewer pest problems and healthier bigger and better tasting plants with healthier organic soil food web.
Eliminates chemical fertilisers
If we composted packaging rather than sending it for incineration or landfill we could replace all the 500,000 disposable cups we throw away every day and use this to create natural non toxic compost which is healthier for the planet and the health of our communities.
Still here , this is it , you can now make a cup of tea.
I'm being serious, there isn't anything left to say.
