Compostable

A product that is “compostable” is one that can be placed into a composition of decaying biodegradable materials, and eventually turns into a nutrient-rich material.  It is almost synonymous with “biodegradable”, except it is limited to solid materials and does not refer to liquids.

Composting occurs in nature every day as fallen leaves and tree limbs biodegrade into the forest floor.     The EPA considers composting a form of recycling because it turns resources into a usable product.

Compost piles have been used by many farmers and gardeners for generations. Food, leaves, grass clippings, garden wastes, and tree trimmings (which amount to between 50 and 70 percent of waste in this country) can all go into the compost pile, where hungry microorganisms eat the waste to produce carbon dioxide, water and humus.     The resulting compost is an excellent natural fertilizer proven by organic gardeners to restore soil fertility, control weeds, retain ground moisture and reduce soil erosion.