Garden food organics 1207 or fact sheet web

THEFACTSABOUT

The second largestsource of methane inAustralian landfills isfood organics.

56 litres ofwater issaved foreverykilogram offood that isrecovered.

About two thirdsof all waste sentto landfill inAustralia consistsof food organics.

Gases produced in landfillfrom garden and foodorganics continue to begenerated for at least15 to 30 years.

Compostingyour gardenand foodorganics andusing it onyour gardensignificantlyincreasesthe soil’sability toretainwater.

GARDENAND FOODORGANICSORGANIC WASTE INCLUDES ANY ANIMAL OR PLANT BASED MATERIAL ANDDEGRADABLE CARBON SUCH AS GARDEN ORGANICS, FOOD, TIMBER, PAPERAND CARDBOARD. WHEN SENT TO LANDFILL THE ORGANIC MATERIALUNDERGOES ANAEROBIC DECOMPOSITION, GENERATING A POTENTGREENHOUSE GAS, METHANE.

Mulched or compostedgarden and food organicsare a valuable nutrientdense material that canbe used to create andmaintain a healthygarden.

Organic materialsdecompose in landfillto form greenhousegases includingmethane, which hasa global warmingpotential 25 timeshigher than carbondioxide.

Temperaturesgenerated bythe compostingprocess destroyany pathogensand weedsin the rawmaterials.

WHAT HAPPENSTO ORGANICS?

THEFACTSABOUT

*Organic waste falls into twocategories for treatment, dependingon whether or not it contains foodwaste. Garden Organics often usesOpen Windrow Composting. In-Vessel composting is used fororganic material that includes food.

Sources: OzHarvest, Zero Waste, andThe Department of Sustainability,Environment, Water, Population andCommunities

COLLECTIONGarden and food organics are

collected from homes andbusinesses, and sent to anOrganic Resource Recovery

Facility.

COMPOSTINGMicro-organisms break down

the material and heat isgenerated, destroying weedsand pathogens. Temperaturescan range between 50˚C and

70˚C. Laboratory testing ensuresthat compost complies with

stringent standards.

GARDEN ANDFOOD ORGANICS

DECONTAMINATIONContaminants such as steel,

plastic, glass, bricks and generalwaste are manually removed.

RECYCLED ORGANICSThe final product is ready to beused in horticulture, agriculture,

landscaping, garden centres,rehabilitation and other end

markets, returning nutrients andessential minerals to the soiland improving plant growth.

June 2012

Printed on recycled paper using environmentally friendly soy-based inks

SCREENINGAND GRADING

Compost is screened intorequired sizes. Different grades

of compost are required fordifferent applications.

SHREDDING ANDSTACKING

The remaining organic materialis shredded into smaller pieces

and stacked in windrows.These are kept moist and

turned regularly over a periodof 16-20 weeks.