A Quick Debrief on Decomp
Anything that grows can decompose. Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter into a fertilizer that enriches soils. Compost also improves soil health because it’s high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, all essential nutrients for agricultural and botanic plants. Research has even shown that compost retains more water than non-fertilized soil.
Food scraps and garden waste comprise more than 28 percent of what is thrown away, and composting these materials helps to divert them from landfill. Organic materials sent to landfills are both expensive and have a negative impact on the environment. Processing the organic material can cost around $55 per ton (with over 265 million tons of food waste moving through landfills and incinerators, a conservative estimate of spending on processing organic food waste is 14 billion dollars) and decomposing matter releases both methane and carbon dioxide when it is in the anaerobic environment inside a landfill. According to the EPA, in the United States landfills are the third largest source of human generated methane emissions, so diverting food waste from the systems would also help limit the amount of greenhouse gas being emitted into the atmosphere.
Composts benefits are numerous, but the thought of leaving decomposing food waste nearby a home can deter people from participating. Composting requires the ideal balance of Carbon to Nitrogen rich materials, and when these ratios are skewed, compost can often emit unpleasant odors and attract unwanted rodents, such as rats.
Bioengineering students at Northeastern University particpating in the International Geneticallyt Engineered Machine Foundation global competition to present their discoveries: a solution to make compost smell like mint or lavender.
These students at Northeastern have started to develop solutions to problems such as these!
By targeting the microbial process that is critical to decomposition, Northeastern students have discovered a way to make compost smell like mint or lavender, two scents chose specifically for their ability to deter rats which can’t abide the smell. These results are currently contained to the Northeaster bioengineering labs, and won’t be widespread for a long time. But results such as these are promising and getting people talking about compost!
Sources:
https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/06/26/compost-smell-mint-lavender/