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Organics
We are trying to help gather information on current infrastructure as well as learn what the community would like more of in this regard. Please see take our survey below or reach out to us at ioniacd@gmail.com!
WHAT A WASTE!
The above image was accessed from MI EGLE’s Food Waste and Recovery page. See the links below to read more!
WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY ORGANIC/FOOD WASTE?
Donate to a food bank or food rescue!
Know how long items stay good for under different storage conditions!
Can what you can (especially regarding produce, meat, and soups) before they are beyond the point of return.
If you do have compostable materials, yard waste, and food scraps, start a compost pile!
- USDA
- EPA
- NRDC
Feed good scraps to your flock!
Those scraps that just went into the trash don’t mean too much, do they? Just a few wasted dollars for something that you no longer want. Actually, those food scraps are one of the largest contributors to municipal solid waste (what goes to the dump). But surely a majority comes from manufacturers and grocers, right? According to ReFed, 2024 data shows that 33.2% of food waste comes from households. That obviously means the other waste producers are causing quite a bit too; however, to create a bigger impact, we need to start finding new ways to manage our wastes at home. Aside from recycling plastics and other materials (check out Ionia’s new Recycling Compactors here), our organic wastes (food scraps, compostable materials, yard waste, etc.) hold great potential for decreasing waste output and preventing economic loss.
Want to learn more about food waste? Follow the links below!
These three infographics are from MiSBF, GVSU, EGLE. 2024. Creating a Circular and Decarbonized Economy: Economic Impact Potential and Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Michigan. (See link below)
Pulp Fact or Fiction:
Dealing with the duplicity of paper products
Paper products are delightfully double-sided, and not just in a printer. Because paper is a mostly natural material (aside from intermittent bleaching, dyeing, and coating techniques) it is a great material for both recycling and composting. So what is the better method? Well that depends on what type of paper you are working with. Paper is valuable in the recycling realm. Recycled paper products use 40-70% less energy and 50% less water during manufacturing. But not everything is recyclable, and paper pulp becomes worn after multiple times being recycled. What should be done with the paper then? This is when composting steps in! See the table below to decide what to do with your paper products. (Those of you viewing on a cell phone, this will be updated soon for your viewing pleasure as well!)
Item Type:
Paper shred
Greasy Pizza Box
Paper Towels
Paper Plates
Paper Cups
Clean Printer Paper
Clean Cardboard
Paper Egg Cartons
Plastic Window Mail
Glossy Magazines
Colorful Wrapping Paper
Wax or Parchment Paper
Compactor Recyclable:
No
No
No
No
Yes
Preferrable, yes!
Preferrable, yes!
Less preferred, but yes!
Preferrable, yes!
Yes
No
No
Compostable:
Yes!
Yes!
Yes! (with no cleaners)
Yes!
No
Less Preferred, but yes!
Less preferred, but yes!
Preferrable, but yes!
With window, no
No
No
No