What's the best way, environmentally, to dispose of food scraps?

Question

What's best for the environment - throwing your food scraps (egg shells, coffee grounds, potato peelings, etc.) down the disposal or into the trash? I.e., is it better to end up in the sewer system or the landfill?

Answer 1

I think it's better environmentally to put your food in the trash, because then it would decompose naturally. The only problem with this method is that the food may start to smell. The best solution, environmentally, would actually be to put them in a compost pile. It can be in a garbage can, but it will eventually produce soil that is very good for your garden and plants. You can only put certain kinds of food in compost piles, however.

Answer 2

Neither options you suggest are the best.

The best solution is a backyard compost pile or compost container. A little soil to get it started, a few earthworms, and a little time, and all the organic waste is turned into fertile soil for the garden.

Answer 3

Actually, you can create a compost pile specifically for food scraps out doors. There are also organic web sites to order worm castings so that these harmless wiggly worms break down your food scraps into nutritious fertilizer for your garden.

You can also dig a hole somewhere in a spot in your garden with chicken wire around it. You layer it with food scraps, leaves and soil and keep on layering it. In ninety days, the bottom of your compost pile will have nutritious organic fertilizer for your plants.

If you do not have a garden, then you check with your city if they have a green recycling schedule in which they pick up the the plant scraps from a particular trash can that is labeled or colored for decomposing egg shells and plant matter.

Our city has a recycling program. Black trash cans for regular trash, blue for recyclable glass, plastics and paper, and Green for garden waist and plant food stuff like egg shells and veggie and fruit peelings.

Answer 4

Either way its gonna harm the environment. An interesting experiment would be trying to (vermi)compost. There are many websites on sticking food scraps along with dirt into a large container with worms and decomposing that way and getting rid of waste. This would also make an excellent fertilizer, a plus for the environment.

Answer 5

The best way to dispose of food scraps is to let them rot in the soil. This provides plants a more nutrietious soil to get nutrients from. Not down the disposal or in the trash.

Answer 6

COMPOST

the worst you can do is throw it with the trash
70% of contamination is due to organic waste that is mixed in with the garbage .
and it is just as bad in the sewer where it helps to breed rats and in the landfill it poisons the ground

and it is the easiest to take care of
o first of all we have to clasify trash at least keep the organic to one side ,like in a plasic bin with a lid

if you got a few meters of ground ,you only need 1 or 2 square meters in a shallow hole ,in the shade ,that you can wet now and again ,where you dump everything that is organic ,from toilet paper,bones vegetable cuttings ,eggshells,,dead bodies ,excrement ,and cover regularly with leaves to keep humid and to hide any smell
the worms will come and decompose the wastes truning it into beautifull blck soil for the garden of flower pots .

if you are in a apartment ,if you have a balcony get a big plastic bin drill some holes in the side and lid ,

and add a few buckets of sand now and again to put over the trash ,you should realt stir or move the stuff at times to airate it and ensure that the decomposition is overall ,keep moist

this rubbish does not get big very fast and the thing works for a long time with out getting full

got a compost heap in the garden for 6 years ,have added tons of banana poles ,and palm leaves at times tree trunks ,the mountain goes up and down and never seems to get any bigger ,the stuff rots and becomes a very fine black compost of high density

Answer 7

Composting and it also is cleaner than burning by adding nutrients to soil and its environmentally friendly.

Answer 8

ouch, neither is 'best'.
All non-meat kitchen rubbish can be thrown in a compost heap, or in your garden, or under a tree.
I guess you live in an appartment and have no other options?
The answer to your question probably depends on what happens to it after it enters the sewer system, and to what level your sewage is treated.

Answer 9

I'm so sorry these are your only two choices. The best way is to put non-meat food scraps into a compost pile.

Answer 10

Get a pig, or find someone that has a pig, they'll eat anything, then you can eat them...lol