How Do Organic Materials of Solid Waste Decompose Naturally?
Organic materials in solid waste, like food scraps, yard trimmings, and paper products, undergo an intricate decomposition process that is key to sustainable waste management.
Understanding how organic materials of solid waste decompose offers insight into natural waste cycles. It reveals why efficient decomposition is crucial for reducing landfill waste, promoting healthier soils, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This guide explores decomposition, connecting ancient natural cycles to modern waste management with insights into the microscopic and chemical forces at play.
The Foundation of Decomposition: Nature’s Ancient Recycling Process
To understand how organic materials in solid waste decompose, consider how nature has always recycled waste.
Organic decomposition is a process rooted in the natural order, where organic matter decays, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.
In forests, fallen leaves, decaying wood, and animal remains decompose into the soil, nourishing plant life and continuing the cycle.
Whether composting at home or in large-scale waste facilities, today's decomposition processes emulate this timeless system.
The decomposition of organic waste follows two primary stages: aerobic (in the presence of oxygen) and anaerobic (in the absence of oxygen).
Each process is essential, yet anaerobic decomposition is particularly crucial in landfills, where a lack of oxygen produces methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas.
Modern waste management aims to control or accelerate decomposition by understanding these processes, reducing waste volume and greenhouse gas emissions.
How Organic Waste Breaks Down: The Science Behind Decomposition
At its core, decomposition is a biological and chemical breakdown of organic materials.
Enzymes secreted by microorganisms kick-start the decomposition process by breaking down large organic molecules into simpler compounds.
This initial breakdown makes the organic material accessible to bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, transforming these compounds into carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients.
The Role of Microorganisms
Decomposition relies heavily on microbial communities, including bacteria and fungi.
Aerobic bacteria thrive when oxygen is available, while anaerobic bacteria flourish in oxygen-poor environments.
These microbes are nature’s recyclers, breaking down waste and transforming it into humus, a nutrient-rich organic material.
- Aerobic Bacteria: These bacteria are essential in composting. They consume carbon and nitrogen in organic waste, producing carbon dioxide, water, and heat—a byproduct that is critical in sanitizing compost by killing pathogens.
- Anaerobic Bacteria: Found in landfills, anaerobic bacteria operate without oxygen, breaking down waste and producing methane. Unlike aerobic processes, anaerobic decomposition doesn’t generate heat, resulting in a slower breakdown of organic materials.
The Environmental Impact of Organic Waste Decomposition
Understanding how organic materials in solid waste decompose reveals both benefits and challenges.
While decomposition enriches soil and reduces waste, it also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), organic materials account for a large portion of municipal solid waste, and decomposition in landfills releases substantial amounts of methane.
By diverting organic waste from landfills through composting and other waste management techniques, cities and organizations can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Composting alone is estimated to reduce methane emissions by 30–50% compared to landfill decomposition.
Key Stages of Organic Waste Decomposition
The decomposition of organic waste follows distinct stages, each defined by microbial activity and the breakdown of complex organic compounds.
- Mesophilic Stage (Moderate Temperature): During the initial phase, mesophilic microorganisms thrive, raising temperatures to around 40°C (104°F). They break down simple carbohydrates and sugars, initiating decomposition.
- Thermophilic Stage (High Temperature): As mesophilic bacteria generate heat, temperatures rise, creating an ideal environment for thermophilic bacteria, which thrive in higher temperatures (above 45°C or 113°F). These microbes break down complex proteins and fats, producing carbon dioxide, water, and heat. This phase sanitizes the compost, killing pathogens and weed seeds.
- Cooling and Maturation Stage: After reaching peak temperatures, the pile cools as thermophilic bacteria reduce activity, allowing mesophilic microbes to take over again. During this stage, organic material matures into humus, a stable form of organic matter. This final stage enhances soil fertility when applied to plants, trees, and crops.
How Do Different Organic Materials Affect Decomposition?
Not all organic materials decompose at the same rate.
Carbon-to-nitrogen (C) ratio, moisture content, and particle size affect how quickly materials break down.
Here are some insights into the decomposition times of common organic materials:
- Food Scraps: High in nitrogen, food waste decomposes relatively quickly, especially in a compost pile. Fruits and vegetables typically break down in a few weeks, but fats and proteins may take longer.
- Yard Trimmings: Grass clippings decompose rapidly, while wood chips and branches, which are high in lignin, may take months to years to fully break down.
- Paper Products: Newspaper and cardboard contain cellulose, which decomposes faster than more heavily processed paper. Shredded paper and cardboard provide carbon, essential for maintaining a balanced compost pile.
Decomposition in Landfills vs. Composting: A Tale of Two Processes
The difference in organic waste decomposition between composting and landfilling is stark.
Composting provides the oxygen, moisture, and nutrient balance necessary for aerobic bacteria to thrive.
In contrast, landfills are generally oxygen-poor, causing anaerobic bacteria to dominate.
In composting, organic materials transform into nutrient-rich compost within weeks to months, reducing waste volume and creating valuable soil amendment.
In landfills, however, the lack of oxygen slows decomposition significantly, with some materials taking decades to break down.
As organic waste decomposes anaerobically in landfills, it produces methane—a gas approximately 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its impact on climate change.
Some landfills have systems to capture and convert this methane into energy, mitigating its environmental impact.
The Role of Education and Policy in Managing Organic Waste
Effective organic waste management relies not only on technology but also on policy and public awareness.
Countries like Germany and Sweden have successfully implemented organic waste diversion programs, emphasizing composting, anaerobic digestion, and waste-to-energy initiatives.
According to the European Environment Agency, these nations have reduced landfill waste significantly, setting an example for other regions.
Educational initiatives also play a vital role. Teaching communities about composting, recycling, and waste reduction empowers individuals to make environmentally conscious choices.
Municipalities around the world are increasingly providing resources and support for community composting, encouraging residents to divert organic waste from landfills.
Conclusion
The decomposition of organic materials in solid waste is more than just a natural process; it’s a crucial aspect of sustainable waste management.
By embracing nature’s recycling systems—through composting, anaerobic digestion, and waste diversion—we can significantly reduce landfill use, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance soil health.
Understanding how organic materials of solid waste decompose empowers individuals, businesses, and policymakers to make choices that contribute positively to the environment and the community.
From microbes breaking down organic matter to cutting-edge waste management solutions, the decomposition process is at the heart of a cleaner, more sustainable future.
If you’re ready to take your waste management efforts to the next level, contact BurCell to see how we can help you succeed with solid waste recycling.
Together, we can turn waste into a valuable resource and build a greener world.
FAQs
What are organic materials in solid waste?
Organic materials in solid waste are substances derived from living organisms, such as food scraps, paper, and yard waste. They can decompose naturally over time due to the action of microorganisms.
How do microorganisms decompose organic matter?
Microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, break down organic matter through a process called decomposition. They consume the organic material, releasing nutrients back into the environment and transforming it into simpler substances.
What environmental factors affect decomposition rates?
Several factors influence decomposition rates, including temperature, moisture, oxygen availability, and the type of organic material. Optimal conditions, such as warm temperatures and adequate moisture, accelerate the process.
Can all organic materials decompose at the same rate?
No, different types of organic materials decompose at varying rates. For example, food scraps decompose faster than woody materials due to their higher moisture content and nutrient availability.
How can we enhance the natural decomposition process in composting?
Composting is a controlled process that optimizes decomposition. By providing ideal conditions, such as proper moisture levels, aeration, and a balanced mix of organic materials, we can accelerate the breakdown and produce nutrient-rich compost.
How Anaerobic Digestion and the BurCell® System Work Together
Anaerobic digestion. Despite its futuristic-sounding name, it’s an alternative waste conversion process with its basic science having been around for centuries. The first recorded usage dates back to England in 1895. Now, as businesses continue to seek ways of reducing their carbon footprints and contributing to the goal of clean energy, anaerobic digestion is continuing to advance into the spotlight as a potential solution to waste management.
What Is Anaerobic Digestion?
Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process where microorganisms, or bacteria, break down biodegradable organic matter like sewage sludge, food scraps, and manure. The digestion of the waste takes place in an airtight container without the presence of oxygen. The name anaerobic means “without air.” As the bacteria get to work, it produces a methane and carbon dioxide-rich gas called biogas. The physical byproduct of this bacteria buffet is a wet mixture called digestate that gets separated into solid and liquid. Although humans are responsible for creating this chemical reaction, it’s a process that happens naturally in the environment. Examples of natural occurrences of anaerobic digestion include swamps and in the stomach.
Both byproducts are something to get excited about. In its purest form, the biogas produced can be used for cooking, powering engines, and heating furnaces, as a chemical feedstock, or to generate electricity. When it’s treated and compressed, biogas can be upgraded to renewable natural gas, used as a renewable fuel source for vehicles. As for digestate, it can be used as an industrial co-product, as a nutrient-rich fertilizer, compost, animal bedding, and soil amendment.
Many believe it’s one of the many ways that we can reduce our carbon footprints, combat climate change, and find replacement energy sources to the dwindling resources we currently have.
How Does Anaerobic Digestion Work?
The process begins when waste, also referred to as feedstock, is loaded into an airtight container called an anaerobic digester. Once inside, the feedstock undergoes four different stages of being broken down through chemical reaction before reaching its final form as raw material that’s able to be used in many ways.
The first stage is called Hydrolysis. Here, complex matter like carbohydrates and proteins gets broken down into sugars and amino acids. Next up is the acidogenesis stage. Bacteria break down sugars and amino acids even further, reducing them into ethanol and fatty acids, as well as creating the byproducts like ammonia, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. When the feedstock reaches acetogenesis, the third stage, the ethanol, and fatty acids are converted into hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and acetic acid. And in the final stage of anaerobic digestion, called methanogenesis, the bacteria convert the leftover hydrogen and acetic acid into the methane and carbon dioxide-rich biogas.
The timeline for digestion depends on factors such as how much waste is loaded into the digester, if more than one kind of matter is present (this process is called co-digestion), and the temperature inside of the digester. With all these factors considered, complete digestion can take between 14 to 40 days. And after its total breakdown, the biogas is collected, treated, and sent off to be used as renewable energy.
What Are the Benefits of Using Anaerobic Digestion?
Using anaerobic digestion as an alternative waste management approach features a whole host of benefits to the environment as well as human health. It’s a much-needed solution in countries like the U.S. where, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 40.7 million tons of organic waste were produced in 2017. Another staggering fact is that only 2.6 million tons of the food waste generated that year was said to have been composted, or 6.3%.
One of the many benefits of employing anaerobic digestion is the reduction of the amount of waste we send to landfills. The EPA further states that 86-90% of food waste is highly biodegradable and can even help break down tougher materials like livestock waste. And by collecting the biogas and converting it for better use instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, we cut down on harmful greenhouse emissions. Other benefits include reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and replacing it with biomethane gas and protecting water sources from runoff and contaminants that may harm water supplies, animals, and plant life.
Despite anaerobic digestion being such an effective and highly regarded waste management alternative, it’s still a significantly underused resource. Currently, there are more than 2,000 sites in the U.S. that use anaerobic digestion, mainly found in agricultural, wastewater, and urban settings. It’s believed that there is room for up to 13,500 more sites for anaerobic digesters to be built in the U.S.
Where BurCell® Technologies Comes In
The world’s population continues to rise, and so does the number of countries that are searching for better recycling and waste management options. BurCell® Technologies is here to provide a solution. We are dedicated to the goal of clean energy and a better world and we have found a cost-efficient, environmentally friendly way of ensuring less trash goes to waste. Our state of the art BurCell® System uses a vacuum aided thermal decomposition process that breaks down food, paper, and other organic wastes, creating a highly digestible feedstock that has demonstrated an increase of some 30% more biogas from those organic feedstocks when used for anaerobic digestion.
Utilizing our proprietary BurCell® System, designed material recovery facility provides clean, energy-rich feedstocks that can become a source of reliable renewable energy from anaerobic digestion while recovering valuable non-organic materials that can be reused. Our projects will recover and reuse as much as 75% of the materials we process, a much-needed improvement on current waste management methods.
For more information about The BurCell® System and how it works, contact our team today!
How the BurCell® System Makes the World a Better Place
What happens to a product once it is used? Many times, it’s tossed in the trash and carried away. In the U.S., we operate on a linear model where resources are extracted, manufactured, consumed and thrown out after use. A linear model is unsustainable. As piles of garbage continue to increase across the world, and significant amounts of plastic are dumped into the ocean, it is more important now than ever to consider an alternative and the BurCell® System is just what we need.
An Alternative For Waste Management- A Circular Economy
New waste management models have gained some traction in other parts of the world. One model, in particular, is gaining traction and emphasizes sustainable development. This model is known as a circular economy.
With the linear model that is primarily used in the U.S., we make, use, and dispose of a product ultimately creating excessive pollution. With a circular economy, however, a product is made, used, reused, remade, recycled and then goes through the entire process all over again.
In a circular economy, products are no longer just thrown away. Everything is reused and serves a new purpose. Ultimately, waste would disappear, and we would have more resources.
How a Circular Economy Works
The circular economy is based on three goals:
- Eliminate waste and pollution
- Keep products and materials in use
- Restore natural systems
This concept is achievable for everyone, including small business owners, large corporations, individuals, and other organizations.
Now, we know what you are thinking. Could waste really be eliminated?
Once this cycle is adapted and being used consistently it will be possible to have zero waste. This sustainable model was designed so that products and materials remain in use by prolonging their lifespan as long as possible. Products in this system are created for durability. Durable products can be reused by others and there is less demand to create new products.
In this new model of a circular economy, materials are separated into two categories: Biological materials and technical materials.
Technical materials on the other hand cannot safely re-enter the environment. These materials include metals, plastics, and synthetic chemicals. With the current linear model, these items get tossed away, serving no purpose, or even worse, they end up polluting the earth. These materials however can be separated and reused in a circular economy. That way their value can be captured and recaptured. Eventually, there will be little to no demand for new plastics, metals, and other technical materials.
Resale sites are a prime example of the success of reusing technical products. You can visit resale sites such as eBay and find used products that can be redistributed to new users.
There are several benefits to a circular economy but most importantly, it protects and improves the environment. In a circular economy, there is no demand for earth's non-renewable resources, and it enhances the renewable ones. With this model, biological materials return back to the earth to support regeneration or using renewable energy rather than relying on fossil fuels.
The goal behind all of this is products are designed for durability, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling products so that durable materials continue to circulate through the economy.
Creating a Better Economy With The BurCell® System
Not only does a circular economy improve the environment, but it also improves the economy, too. As new circular activities are created, we would experience economic growth and there would be lower costs of production for new products. As products are recreated, we would save money on materials, resulting in lower total costs. According to the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, fast-moving consumer goods have a material cost-saving potential of up to $700 billion worldwide.
A circular economy will also create new jobs. As we eliminate the demand for new product manufacturing, we bring on new jobs that are labor-intensive in recycling activities and new jobs in re-manufacturing. We can also expect to see more entrepreneurship as businesses begin selling reusable, recycled products.
The BurCell® System: Enabling a Circular Economy
As the model of a circular economy gains traction, BurCell® Technologies has created a system to put municipal waste to greater use. The BurCell® system gives the ability to reuse, recycle and remanufacture waste.
How is all of this possible? Our System offers the benefit of macro separation. When waste is first brought to our facility, our tools separate large and bulky items, such as metal or large plastics, from the waste that would damage the system.
Once the waste is separated, it is put through a shredder that increases the volume of the waste so that it can be loaded into our BurCell® system. The 50 cubic yard vessel that can process up to 10 tons of waste per cycle.
An operator from our team then adds water and heat and uses a vacuum that starts the operating cycle. The BurCell® system is constantly rotating to breakdown the waste.
Once the system has processed the waste, the vessel is unloaded onto a conveyor where the waste is compiled together to create an organic product that can easily be separated from the non-organic material.
The organic waste is then filtered out and you’re left with anaerobic digestion. Once the non- organic products are separated, it is transferred to a recycling center.
By the end of a cycle, organic waste can be used as feedstock for gasification or as the primary ingredient for compost.
Bi-Products of The BurCell® System
The BurCell® System creates bi-products that can be resold:
- Organic waste
- Metal, plastic and glass
- Inorganic waste
By the end of the process, the waste that was first brought to our facility is now turned into byproducts available for recycled items that can also be resold.
Together, we can make the shift towards a circular economy to make the world a better place. To learn more about our system and how it works, or to schedule a demo, check out our latest blogs, or contact our team today!