Composting: Dirty riches. [Composting organic wastes from the municiple solid waste stream]

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · World Watch; (United States)

OSTI ID:6276702

Sachs, A

Up to three-quarters of municiple solid waste (MSW) is organic, readily biodegradable material, such as food, leaves, and paper. If this waste were allowed to root properly, the solid waste crisis would be less serious. However, rotting isn't easy in a tightly packed mountain of garbage at a typical landfill. The last few years have at least established composing as a rising green industry, especially in the most populous regions of the developed world. However, the variety of composting programs is too inefficient to divert any more than a tiny fraction of the compostable waste stream away from landfills and incinerators. This article discusses the problems of mixed municiple solid wastes and composting organic wastes, and possible solutions.

• OSTI ID: 6276702
• Journal Information: World Watch; (United States), Vol. 6:4; ISSN 0896-0615
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ORGANIC WASTES
COMPOSTING
URBAN AREAS
SOLID WASTES
FOOD
INCINERATORS
LEAVES
MUNICIPAL WASTES
SANITARY LANDFILLS
MANAGEMENT
PROCESSING
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
320604* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Municipal Waste Management- (1980-)