Collection: Compostable Waste

Primarily food scraps, this category of waste is messy and smelly but relatively easy to dispose of by composting.

This section discusses:

Existing Provision

What

This waste is mainly food scraps, including:

How

In many properties, this waste is simply sent to landfill along with non-recyclables. There it turns into methane - making it difficult to build on landfill sites and adding to global warming. In more enlightened kitchens, it is placed in a sealable container for collection to be composted.

In my own kitchen, much of this waste is fed to our chickens and goats but not everyone has that option. Even the goats draw the line at teabags, coffee grounds and orange peel though so there is still a need for composting.

Volume and Frequency

The food we throw away in the UK currently amounts to about a third of all the food we buy!

Collections of compostable waste - where this is collected at all - are normally no more frequent than weekly. A plate of prawn shells can be particularly whiffy after a week in a sealed plastic box in the middle of summer. Just opening the box towards the end of the week can be enough to put you off adding any more to it.

Collecting compostable waste must be a messy, smelly business especially in the summer.

Financial Model

There is no real financial incentive to householders to sort compostable waste - just fines for finding it in the landfill bin. The waste itself does have some value - either as a fuel or when composted.

Providers

Normally councils collecting compostable waste along with recyclables.

Trends

Far from all households collect compostable waste at present but it is gradually becoming the norm.

With Localnet

What

The nature of the compostable waste is not changed by the presence of localnet. The quantity of it should, however, be dramatically lower thanks to the various grocery, meal and ingredient services that all encourage us to buy in smaller quantities - ideally no more than we know we are going to eat.

How

A small compostable WasteBox - which can be sealed shut - is present in every localnet delivery cupboard alongside the refuse bin. Food scraps and other compostable materials are put into it during the day. If there is more than a small amount in it, it will be collected and replaced with a fresh, clean box as part of a delivery round.

The amount of compostable waste a household can generate in a day is not great - especially if they stop trying to plan and buy food so far in advance. A relatively small container can be provided and this will hardly ever be completely filled. On the very rare occasion that it is, it will be replaced before the end of the day so any overflow (which is still only a few hours old) will not have started to smell too badly before it can be put in the next day's container.

Volume and Frequency

Any box with more than a small amount of waste in it will be collected the same or following day - whenever this can be done without requiring an additional visit or delivery run. This avoids the contents ever becoming too unpleasant. The box remains sealed until it is emptied and washed - fully automatically - at the LocalHub.

Financial Model

Incentives should not be given for filling the compostables box as this means food has been wasted and it would have been better not to have bought and/or cooked it in the first place. The cost or removing this waste was previously part of the council's budget for refuse and recyclables and should now be a substantially lower cost as collection is a by-product of deliveries.

Providers

Localnet staff will be expected to collect compostable waste as part of their everyday duties. Existing bin men should find a localnet job more rewarding and varied than their previous role.

Evolution

Localnets should endeavour to find a local outlet for their compostable waste - whether this is one or more organic farmers with enormous compost heaps or a local power plant.

 

Comparison

The table below assesses the impact of localnet on this service on a scale of -5 to +5 (details here)

  Existing services As part of localnet Score
Scope

Patchy provision.

 Standard localnet service. +2
Frequency

Typically weekly.

 Daily or every other day. +4
Security

Not applicable.

 Not applicable. 0
Convenience Unpleasant topping up a week old stash of rotten food. Perhaps a third as much that has been there a third as long. +3
Cost

Part of dedicated recycling collections.

 Smaller part of shared system. +2
Quality Messy and smelly transfer of material. Boxes emptied remotely. +3
Carbon Footprint Part of dedicated recycling collections. Smaller part of shared system
Time Not significant. Not significant. 0
Resources Used Fleet of collection vehicles. Shared fleet across deliveries. +1
Reuse & Recycling This is what it is. This is what it is. 0
Landfill Waste Not applicable. Not applicable. 0
Other Differentiators Better jobs for bin men. +2

Services