WHAT IS ORGANIC WASTE—AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

May 07, 2025

The kitchen counters often show a familiar movie: fruit peels set aside to be discarded, and remains of the previous days’ meals which eventually end up in the bin. For most households, these fruit peels and meal remains are just ‘waste’, often second nature to discard them part of their daily routine. Alas, this ‘waste’s’ true personality is not identified by most people. It holds the key to reduce our environmental footprint, give back to the eco-system, and go towards a circular economy. Why you say? It’s because this is not just any ‘waste’ it’s biodegradable, it can become a part of the environment again, it’s ‘organic waste!’

ORGANIC WASTE:

Organic waste is simply any material that comes from plants or animals, is biodegradable and can be broken down by microorganisms into simpler organic molecules. Organic waste in your house can be the peels from your kitchen, grass clippings from your garden or even sawdust from carpentry work that recently happened. The key characteristic of organic waste is its ability to break down naturally and return its nutrients to the soil. It is this feature that the concept of composting is based on and is used for turning organic waste into something of substance, compost.

COMPOSTING:

Composting refers to the managed, aerobic decomposition of organic waste such as grass clippings and fruit peels. It results in the creation of compost, a biologically stable soil amendment that has multiple benefits such as the enrichment of soil health which in turn leads to better nutrients for plants and trees using the compost. Consequently, compost can be an essential ingredient for having better quality fruit and vegetables.

There are multiple composting techniques but all fall into either of two categories, that is hot composting and cold composting.

Hot composting: refers to when there is the need of active management in the composting process to balance nitrogen, carbon, air, and water to speed up the composting process. Furthermore, it’s an aerobic process (with oxygen) whereby microorganisms that need oxygen use heat to ramp up the speed at which the organic waste decomposes. Hot composting can create compost in between 2 weeks to 3 months based on the scale and environmental conditions.

Cold Composting: On the contrary, cold composting does not require active management and is consequently less labour intensive. It just requires one to keep on piling up the organic waste in a container and allowing nature to work its charm. Unlike hot composting, it’s an anaerobic (without oxygen) process where microorganisms do not require oxygen to live, slowly fermenting the organic waste. The creation of compost can take around one year.

COMPOSTING METHODOLOGIES:

Just as there are many ways to cook a meal, there are many methodologies to create compost. Some follow hot composting while others follow cold composting.

• Vermicomposting (Worm Composting): This method employs specific types of composting worms, primarily Red Wigglers (Eisenia fetida), to break down organic matter. The worms consume food scraps and other organic materials, and their excretions called "castings" or "vermicompost" are a highly nutrient-rich soil amendment. Worms also aerate the material as they move through it.
• Tumbler Composting: This method uses an enclosed, rotating drum or barrel to hold the compostable materials. The rotation mechanism makes it easy to turn and aerate the pile regularly, speeding up decomposition and often leading to faster results than traditional pile composting. The enclosed nature also helps deter pests.
• Trench Composting (In-Ground Composting): This is a very simple method where you bury organic waste directly into a trench or hole in your garden soil. The soil's existing microorganisms and soil structure facilitate decomposition. It's a "set it and forget it" approach for smaller quantities of waste.
• Sheet Composting (Layered or Lasagna Composting): This method involves layering organic materials directly onto a garden bed or designated area, similar to building a lasagna. Layers of "browns" (e.g., cardboard, newspaper, dry leaves) and "greens" (e.g., kitchen scraps, grass clippings) are alternated, often directly on top of the soil. Over time, these layers break down, enriching the soil below.
• Bokashi Composting: Unlike traditional composting, Bokashi is a fermentation process. Organic waste (including meat, dairy, and oils which are usually avoided in aerobic compost) is placed in an airtight bin and inoculated with a special "Bokashi bran" containing beneficial microorganisms. These microbes ferment the waste, pickling it. After fermentation (typically 2-4 weeks), the pickled waste needs to be buried in soil or added to a regular compost pile for final decomposition.

BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING:

• Enriches Soil and Boosts Plant Growth: Compost acts as a natural fertilizer, providing essential nutrients to plants in a slow-release form. It improves soil structure, aeration, and water retention, leading to healthier, more robust plants and potentially reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.
• Reduces Landfill Waste and Methane Emissions: By diverting organic waste from landfills, we significantly reduce the amount of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, released into the atmosphere. This directly contributes to combating climate change.
• Saves Money: Producing your own compost means less need to buy expensive chemical fertilizers or soil amendments.
• Conserves Water: Compost-enriched soil retains moisture far better than unamended soil, reducing the need for frequent watering. This is particularly crucial in regions like Pune, where water conservation is vital.
• Reduces Pollution: Less waste in landfills means reduced leachate (the liquid that seeps from landfills) contaminating groundwater and fewer pollutants from incineration.
• Supports Biodiversity: Healthy soil teeming with beneficial microbes and organisms supports a vibrant ecosystem, both above and below ground.

From the quiet corners of our kitchens to sprawling community gardens, the transformation of organic waste into nourishing compost is a powerful act of embracing cycles, returning what we take, and enriching our planet. It’s a testament to the idea that true wealth often lies not in what we accumulate, but in what we choose to regenerate.