Better Earth launches composting database to map out deposit locations across US

12 Aug 2024 --- Compostable foodservice packaging specialist Better Earth has launched its Compost Drop Off Database, developed to connect consumers with their local compost drop-off locations. It is part of a larger initiative by the company to map out national compost infrastructure, haulers and deposits. 

Better Earth’s sustainability team identified 315 composting facilities that accept food waste across 43 states, 250 hauling companies supporting composting efforts and 457 compost drop-off sites that will improve access for households in the US to compost their organic material.

The initiative was driven by Better Earth’s circularity coordinator, Blair Michal, in 2023. Michal and team worked across existing state and federal databases to develop “one of the most up-to-date US compost infrastructure databases in the industry.”

The data will be audited and updated by Better Earth annually.

Building momentum in commercial composting

Michal highlights the program has identified over 1,000 data points on the database’s map — evidencing that “momentum that is building” in the commercial composting industry.

“With almost half of those being drop-off sites, it is great to see how accessible composting is becoming,” he says. “This also demonstrates the potential to strengthen the circular systems within our communities.”

Compost drop off sites are locations where residents can drop off their organic waste, like food scraps and compostable packaging to be composted, typically for no additional charge. 

From those locations, organic waste is picked up and taken to a local composting facility to be processed into a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Drop off locations are accessible community tools to engage all in the process and benefits of composting. This accessibility is essential to combat negative climate impacts since nearly 40% of food is wasted and sent to landfills and only 5% of food is composted in the US.

In other activities, Walmart and Denali, a recycler of organic materials, recently partnered on depackaging services claimed to improve the food waste recycling process at over 1,400 Walmart and Sam’s Club locations in the US.

Tackling the food waste issue from a packaging solutions angle, Polish tech company Fresh Inset specializes in the Vidre+ technology, a sticker placed inside food packaging that shields fresh produce from ethylene, the gas that hastens ripening and spoilage.