Can Natur-Tec® compostable products be disposed of in a landfill?
Modern day landfills are designed to entomb garbage anaerobically – meaning without oxygen. Landfills are managed so that very little material actually degrades even if the material is organic. Landfill excavations have uncovered newspapers that are still readable after almost forty years, ten year old carrots that are still bright orange on the inside and twenty year old steaks that still have meat on the bones. Biodegradation is an aerobic process – meaning oxygen breathing. For complete, proper biodegradation, compost facilities have to maintain a carefully controlled balance of moisture, nutrients, temperature and particle size. Biodegradation is not the answer to extending landfill space. Diverting organic material to a compost facility instead of a landfill is a more sustainable solution and allows for the reuse of the final compost material.
