The Ecoist – Big or Small We’ll Compost it All
Posted by Eco-Products on Nov 28th 2012
Do compostable products breakdown better if they are shredded or chopped into smaller pieces?
Not necessarily!
Products made from Ingeo and other compostable foodservices items tend to break down at about the same rate regardless of size (extremely large or dense items may take even more time) in a well managed compost heap. The composting process primarily depends on heat, moisture, and time. So even small pieces of Ingeo require the same conditions to start composting as larger, container-sized ones – of course, extremely dense or large pieces of anything in a compost heap will not be exposed to the same conditions at the same time and may take longer.
Similarly, paper or sugarcane items may break down faster in smaller pieces in some circumstances, but commercial composters know their systems well and often will chop material into the ideal size for their needs.
Our very own Sustainability Maven serves up a delicious nugget of green geekery every other week. If this little taste leaves you hungry for more, you can always cruise over to the Greenology and/or Training sections at EcoProducts.com for a full helping. If you have a question you can’t find the answer to you can email her at sustainabilitymaven@ecoproducts.com