Why composting should be part of your sustainability strategy

With tightened organic waste regulations and compliance pressure from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, companies need to be proactive with their organic waste management.

aving a corporate social

Hinvestment drive is high on the agenda for most medium to large companies. Investing in an environmental or social upliftment initiative is embedded in a typical company sustainability strategy.

While investing in a cause outside of a company is always welcomed by stakeholders, looking at addressing the environmental impacts within is where the real strides towards your sustainability will be made.

This is according to Brian Küsel, director of BiobiN South Africa, who insists that landfill diversion and composting should be part of corporate responsibility and sustainability strategies.

“National and provincial governments currently have their eyes on big organic waste diversion targets – a 50% reduction of organic waste going to landfill by next year (2022) and a 100% reduction by 2027,” says Küsel.

“As these deadlines approach and available landfill space is reduced even more, government will continue to implement regulatory measures to get industries to treat and divert their organic waste.” This is already evident with the recently introduced regulation, restricting waste with more than a 40% moisture content disposed of in landfill. Organic waste falls within this category.

“We have seen the waste management sector scramble to comply with stringent and rapidly introduced amendments to waste treatment and disposal regulations. Currently, composting, even large volumes on a commercial level, does not require waste licensing, making it a feasible organic waste management solution. On-site composting units are also a proactive measure to remain compliant,” says Küsel.

On-site composting

Contrary to traditional composting systems that you would typically see in a home garden, on-site composting units are not open-pit heaps that produce foul odours and attract rodents. On-site units are neatly contained systems that are controlled with air induction and biofiltration to optimise the composting process.

“While paper and plastics recycling are commonly a standard practice in most offices, composting office food and organic waste will quickly follow suit,” says Küsel.

Küsel concludes that office waste management is an essential component of a sustainability strategy – and now it needs to include organic waste. An on-site solution like BiobiN is an excellent method to dispose easily of food waste, gain carbon credits, and remain compliant with waste regulations that will inevitably become more stringent in the near future.