How Composting Benefits You

• Diverts waste from overcrowded landfills.

• Helps keep municipal budgets in check by diverting waste from landfills (and avoiding expensive landfill tipping fees).

• Reduces groundwater and air pollution (methane) by preventing biodegradable waste from entering landfills.

• Prevents "vectors" (birds/rodents/insects) that feed on food scraps in and around landfills.

• Improves community recycling goals by diverting otherwise non-recyclable wastes into community recycling programs.

• Supports local, sustainable businesses (composters).

• Increases infiltration and permeability of heavy soils, thus reducing erosion and runoff.

• Improves water holding capacity, thus reducing water loss and leaching in sandy soils.

• Supplies a variety of macro and micronutrients to the soil.

• May control or suppress certain soil-borne plant pathogens.

• Supplies significant quantities of organic matter.

• Improves the soil structure, porosity, and density, thus
  creating a better plant root environment.

• Improves cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soils and growing media, thus improving their ability to hold nutrients for plant use.

• Supplies beneficial microorganisms to soils and growing media.

• Improves and stabilizes soil pH.

• Can bind and degrade specific pollutants.

Gain a greater understanding of the role of the BPI’s Compostable logo by viewing the American Environmental Review Series video. This documentary features industry leaders discussing the benefits of community composting.