If you’re wondering “where does compost go,” we have the answers, specifically as it pertains to Waterloo and the surrounding areas.
If you’re in an office setting, you can do your part by signing up for our Office Composting Program - contact us today to get started!
Where Does Compost Go?
Waterloo Region Waste Processing
The Region of Waterloo oversees waste collection in Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and surrounding townships - North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich.
Collection crews pick up Green Bins from single-family homes, legal duplexes, eligible townhouse units, and small apartment buildings (6 units or less) every week.
They then drop off Green Bin organic waste at Region of Waterloo facilities. Organics are loaded into large trucks and shipped in bulk to the City of Guelph's Organic Waste Processing facility.
Here’s exactly what happens from there, courtesy of the Region’s website:
Once at Guelph's facility, your organics are mixed with other organics, shredded and put into a series of tunnels to compost. The conditions in the tunnels are monitored to maximize the breakdown of the organics with oxygen.
After three to four weeks, the compost is removed from the tunnels and screened to separate out any plastics.
This screened compost is formed into long piles called windrows and is monitored for several weeks while it matures indoors.
After an additional screening, the compost is tested to ensure it meets quality standards.
The high-grade finished compost is sold to local farmers who add it to their fields to grow more food.
The process is likely similar for your local area; contact your municipality for more information.
Local farmers benefit from composting at the office.
Where does office compost go?
As mentioned above, the Region of Waterloo’s compost program is for smaller dwellings only. If you’re in an office setting, you can still compost with the Office Composting Program.
To begin, you will receive a Green Bin to collect all your organic waste and compostable materials, just like at home.
All the same items that you would Green Bin at home can be put in the Green Bin in the office!
These compostable items will be picked up weekly by one of our Team Members, at which time you’ll also get a fresh Green Bin.
The organic material collected enters the compost stream in one of three ways:
Sent to the Region’s Compost facility where it goes through the process outlined above
Donated to local neighbourhood garden compost piles
Used at Kitchener Clean’s Worm Farm where it becomes worm castings (a high grade fertilizer)
Want to learn more about composting? For more ideas, here’s our article on how to use compost as garden soil.
Your food waste enters the compost stream in one of three ways through the Office Compost Program
What can be composted?
There are specific guidelines as to what you can put in your Green Bin:
All food scraps including bones, peelings, shells, baking and cooking ingredients, spoiled, raw, and cooked food (remove all packaging and stickers)
Small amounts of liquids (no more than one cup per Green Bin)
Some paper products, such as paper plates, paper towels, facial tissue, greasy take-out paper packaging, paper baking cups, shredded paper.
To keep the process more manageable, we include a liner in all the Green Bins we deliver to our clients.
Where Does Compost Go? Let us Handle It!
The Office Compost Program comes from a locally owned and operated family business, so we treat our customers like we would treat our own family - with respect.
We value integrity, consistency, and thoroughness with all of our clients. Our reputation is important to us, so we guarantee all of our services.
“WE ARE CURRENTLY USING THE COMPOST PROGRAM AND THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT AS OUR COMPANY HAS GROWN AND OUR USAGE INCREASED. VERY FRIENDLY AND TERRIFIC SERVICE!”
— JULIE G., BIG ROAD
If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, simply contact us and we will get back to you within 24 hours to address your concern at no additional cost.