Eliminating labeling enables both residential and commercial composting systems to improve sorting methods, balance material ratios, and maximize decomposition efficiency. Relying on clear instructions distributed by waste management businesses becomes critical to ensuring optimal material selection and preventing contamination.
By Michelle Horneff-Cohen
Contamination is a significant challenge for composting, leading to increased operational costs and lower quality compost. Among the various contaminants, non-compostable labels from ostensibly compostable packages or containers pose a particular problem. These labels, often overlooked as trivial, can significantly impact the composting process and the quality of the finished product.
The labels on compostable containers might seem okay at first glance鈥攄esigned to fit right in. However, they can be sneaky tricksters, made of plastic or shiny inks that do not break down like the rest of the container.
A package might say that it is compostable, but if the label itself is not, so the whole thing gets trashed with composting dreams dashed. These labels are also tiny and stuck on super tight, so even the most careful composter might miss them, accidentally contaminating the whole batch. Even if the label crumbles a bit, it can break down into microplastics that linger in the environment for ages. These microplastics can hurt the soil and might even sneak into our food.
Image courtesy of Clean Composting Company.
How Are Label-less Compostable Containers Useful to Your Compost Pile?
While eliminating labels entirely might seem counter-intuitive, it can contribute to reducing contamination in compost bins in a few ways.
#1: Less Confusion, More Composting
Packages or containers often use labels to say they are compost-friendly, but these labels can be misleading. Different composting programs have different rules. Without labels, people rely on clear direct instructions from the waste management company about what is good for composting. This means less chance of someone tossing something in because a label said it was compostable, when it really is not for their specific program.
#2: Focus on What is Inside
With no labels, people are more likely to pay attention to the actual contents in the container, not what the packaging claims. This can lead to better sorting of food scraps (compostable) from materials like plastic or metal (not compostable) that might be hiding in labeled packaging.
#3: Keeping it Simple
No labeling equals one clear system. Everyone who uses the compost bin follows the waste management company鈥檚 standards. This can be simpler to read and apply than having a slew of various labels with varying composting directions.
Improving the Composting Process Through Label-less Compostable Packages
Traditional packaging often relies on labels to convey essential information about disposal and compostability. However, labels can create sorting challenges, increase processing time, and lead to contamination when non-compostable elements are mixed in. By eliminating labels and designing fully compostable packaging, the composting process can be made more efficient, reducing labor costs and improving material breakdown. This approach simplifies sorting, shredding, and mixing, ultimately supporting a more sustainable waste management system.
Sorting
Label-based sorting is common in traditional packing. The materials used in labeled packets could be engineered to be hardly distinguishable as biodegradable or non-compostable. Label-less containers eliminate the need to sort based on labels, lowering the risk of human error. Consider food scraps in a plainly compostable bag (maybe a different color or texture) that can be placed directly into the compost bin.
Without labels or marks, sorting facilities may rely on automated sorting technologies such as near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to identify compostable materials. NIR spectroscopy examines the molecular composition of materials using infrared light that cannot be seen. Using NIR technology, sorting facilities might automate much of the sorting process, drastically lowering the time and labor necessary when compared to manually checking labels for composting
Chopping/Shredding
Label-less packets made entirely of organic materials could be engineered to decompose alongside the compost. This would eliminate the need for a separate chopping or shredding process with these materials.
For example, food leftovers might be deposited straight into a bag made of a fast-decomposing bioplastic substance. This method would greatly minimize the quantity of pre-processing needed before composting, streamlining the process, and lowering labor expenses.
Mixing
Label-free packaging could be color-coded or have embedded markers indicating whether the substance is 鈥渂rown鈥� (carbon-rich) or 鈥済reen鈥� (nitrogen-rich). This would make it easier to keep the compost pile well-balanced. For example, the packaging may use a brown or green color throughout its design, or it could include small, biodegradable chips of a specific color into the material itself.
Composters could readily determine the right material ratio based on the colors in the packaging waste stream. This color-based method has the potential to drastically reduce the time and effort required to obtain an ideal brown/green mix, hence increasing total composting efficiency.
Licensed image from Freepik via Clean Composting Company.
How Removing Labels Improves Compost Quality
Label-less compostable containers may appear to be a minor feature in the grand scheme of things. But the truth is that they do more than simply improve the composting process.
They play a vital role in producing a richer聽compost聽product that is up to qualified standards. Here we will investigate how eliminating labels from compostable containers can improve the quality of the compost we produce.
#1: pH Balance
Top quality compost thrives in a specific pH range, which is ideal for microbial activity. Labels can contain inks or adhesives that can slightly alter the pH. This may not seem like a big problem, but plants are very fussy about their growing conditions. By removing the label on compostable containers, you ensure that your compost鈥檚 pH level is more stable and predictable, resulting in a happier and healthier environment for your plants.
#2: Soluble Salt
Some labels, particularly glossy ones, may contain traces of salt. These can increase the soluble salt level of your compost. While most compost is not high in salts, removing labels reduces the chance of exceeding the prescribed quantities for sensitive plants.
#3: Specific Nutrients
Compost labels rarely contribute nutrients to the mix. However, they can make it difficult to determine the exact amount of nutrients already present in the compost. Taking the labels off allows you to get a more accurate reading of available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This allows gardeners to determine exactly what fertilizer their plants require.
#4: Moisture Flow
Another reason to remove labels is that they can impact the compost鈥檚 moisture retention. Labels can operate as little barriers, impeding even moisture diffusion throughout the pile.
Taking them off improves moisture flow, resulting in a more consistent compost product with the correct moisture content (40 to 50 percent).
#5: Organic Matter
Ideally, we want compost to be composed entirely of organic materials that decompose and contribute to the final product. Labels are not organic and can interfere with the breakdown process. Removing them ensures a purer form of compost with a higher percentage of organic matter, enhancing its ability to improve soil structure and water holding capacity.
#6: Perfect Particle Size
Labels can crumble into tiny bits, messing with the ideal size range of compost particles. This can be a problem for certain uses, like potting mixes. Removing labels helps keep the particle size just right for optimal performance.
#7: Maturity and Stability
Certain types of labels, especially those with synthetic materials, might take longer to decompose compared to organic compost feedstock. This can slow down the overall composting process and potentially impact the maturity and stability of the final product.
Removing labels ensures a more uniform decomposition process, leading to mature and stable compost with predictable nutrient release.
#8: Trace Metals
Although unusual, certain labels may include trace levels of heavy metals in their inks or adhesives. Removing labels reduces the possibility of introducing undesirable trace metals into the compost, ensuring that it passes safety guidelines for use in gardens and landscaping.
#9: Pathogens
The labels themselves are unlikely to contain pathogens. However, their presence may make it significantly more difficult to maintain optimal composting temperatures throughout the pile, which is critical for pathogen destruction. Removing labels improves heat dispersion, resulting in a more pathogen-free end product.
Preventing Contamination
In the end, eliminating labeling enables both residential and commercial composting systems to improve sorting methods, balance material ratios, and maximize decomposition efficiency. However, this requires familiarity with local composting legislation. In the absence of labeling, relying on clear instructions distributed by waste management businesses becomes critical to ensuring optimal material selection and preventing contamination. | WA
Michelle Horneff-Cohen is the Founder of Clean Composting Company and Creator of The Compost Collector庐. With a passion for sustainable living and more than 25 years of experience in residential property management, Michelle saw, first-hand, the need to tackle inefficiencies in organic waste management. Driven by her vision for a cleaner, greener future, she leads the company in developing innovative, sustainable solutions that empower communities to compost with ease and confidence. For more information or bulk pricing options, contact Michelle at (415) 269-8803 or e-mail [email protected]. To order The Compost Collector庐, visit .
References
鈥� Georgia. (2021, July 28). Ulta Beauty joins the consortium to reinvent the retail bag 鈥� closed loop partners. Closed Loop Partners. www.closedlooppartners.com/wp-content/u
鈥� Karidis, A. (2021, April). Waste compost contamination is a pain point for operators. Waste 360. Retrieved July 7, 2024, from www.waste360.com/organic-waste/compost-contamination-is-a-pain-point-for-operators
鈥� Labeling compostable products and packaging. (n.d.). Elevate Packaging. www.google.com/url?q=https://elevatepackaging.com/blog/labeling-compostable-
products-and-packaging/&usg=AOvVaw1zieNjG41X6a8MJcwG2Rcu
鈥� Parker, G. (2021, December 21). What you need to know about Compostable & Eco Friendly Labels 鈥� Labelservice. Labelservice. www.google.com/url?q=https://labelservice.co.uk/what-you-need-to-know-about-compostable-eco-friendly-labels/&usg=AOvVaw3fjL-D1-_cdpap_J6iH3n9