Organic food waste (or green waste) comprises about two thirds of all waste sent to landfill. Some food, vegetable and fruit discards, cuttings from the garden, grass cuttings and weeds are all green waste and can be recycled. It is important to keep organic waste out of landfill, because here it degrades anaerobically and produces potent greenhouse gases such as methane which is extremely damaging to the ozone layer.
Capital City Waste Services can assist you in preventing this valuable material going to landfill, thus reducing its potential for global warming.We can provide bins for your home or office in which to collect your organic waste and can then recycle it into nutrient-rich compostfor use in a variety of horticultural settings
What Organic Waste Can Be Recycled?
Capital City Waste Services accept all of the following organic waste materials for recycling:
- Vegetable peelings, fruit cores and egg shells
- Tree trimmings and lawnclippings
- Leaves, weeds and straw
- Palm fronds and pond vegetation.
Organic waste should not be contaminated with general waste, steel, glass, bricks, cement or other construction waste.
What Happens to Organic Waste When It Reaches the Collection Centre?
When it arrives at our Collection Centre, the material is screened for any contaminants, which are removed. The green waste is shredded and heaped into windrows (long lines of organic material). To ensure decomposition, the windrows are watered and turned regularly for four to five months.
This process of composting generates heat which enhances the growth of beneficial bacteria and destroys any pathogens, fungi and weeds which could contaminate the compost. Once the process is complete we are left with a useful and nutrient-rich compost.
This is then screened and graded for use is applications varying from horticulture, rehabilitation schemes and plant nurseries to agriculture and home gardens. This compost can then be used to return valuable nutrients and minerals to the soil so that our plants and crops and vigorous and healthy.