Composting offer a rare, close-up view of a truly sustainable product cycle. Food becomes waste, which becomes compost, which can be used to grow more food. Composting offers a great way to both reduce the amount of stuff going to the landfill, while fortifying your garden or yard.
But composting at home addressed only a small part of the problem. While the amount of food households toss out is staggering–nearly 5 million tons a year–it a less than 15% of all food wasted. Farms, warehouses, supermarkets and restaurants toss out much more food, with some estimates suggesting half of all food that is produced goes to waste.
EcoScraps is a new company using composting tools to deal with this torrent of wasted food. The company gathers trash-bound fruits and vegetables from grocery stores and coffee shops, and turns it into nutrient-rich soil conditioners and potting soils. The company tested different techniques until finding a process that worked well for fruits and veggies. The result is a soil that is much higher in nutrients than typical compost, yet completely organic. The company has plants in both Salt Lake City and Tempe, AZ, producing soil conditioner and potting soil.
EcoScraps soil is available in garden stores in Utah and Arizona. It is also available via their web site storefront.
Tags: Compost
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