Pre-consumer and Post-consumer waste & what is used for compost, how & why Organic Compost can be derived from a variety of natural components. Currently at Hansen's we make our compost out of the trees, leaves, grass clippings and other such green waste debris that is the result of our tree trimming operations. However, as you will read, there are many more items that can be recycled into good compost First, let's define Pre-consumer & Post-Consumer waste: Pre-consumer waste is waste that comes about before it ever makes it into a product, or into the consumer's hands. Pre-consumer waste comes directly from the manufacturer. A good example would be in car manufacturing, at the end of the day the material that was left over from making the cars on the assembly line that day, the leftover metal & plastic pieces that never make it into the hands of consumers- It is the reintroduction of manufacturing scrap back into the manufacturing process- that's Pre-consumer waste. Post-consumer waste is waste that came about from you, as an individual being a consumer, using a product and now you have packaging, an aluminum soda can or newspapers that you would like to recycle. All of the items have been used and by recycling them, they can actually have a new life. Food waste can fall into both of the above types- in a restaurant or grocery store, food items that spoil, improperly cooked, over produced items or food that falls to the floor & are dirty and never served to the public would be considered Pre-consumer waste. It has been estimated that 4-10% (leanpath.com) of the food you purchase will become pre-consumer waste before ever reaching a guest. Post-consumer food waste includes not only the food taken away by your server at your local deli or restaurant which is called plate waste, but it includes returned orders & the paper napkins, disposable cups & utensils and food paper often used to wrap sandwiches. This means that packaging, fruit skins, bones in meat are all post-consumer waste that can be recycled, just like junk mail & aluminum cans are recycled. Of course those of us making compost wouldn't use the aluminum cans or cell phones but would instead sort them out & divert them to the proper waste stream. So what is recyclable? Pre-consumer Trimmings from paper production Defective aluminum cans Food that doesn't get sold get eaten waste/ tree trimming debris construction Grass/ leaves/ manure Post-Consumer Batteries Cell Phone Packaging Junk Mail Food that doesn't Wood |
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