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The Evolution of Environmental Policies in the United States (Part 1): Encouraging Home Composting, PHA to Enter a Golden Age

Microstruct Factory 2025-03-05 15:58:57

As a biodegradable material, PHA can be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment and converted into organic fertilizer, perfectly aligning with the resource utilization goals of home composting policies. Products made from PHA biomaterials, such as packaging materials and tableware, can be directly added to home compost after use, without requiring special treatment, reducing waste generation and improving resource utilization.

As a biodegradable material, PHA can be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment and converted into organic fertilizer, perfectly aligning with the resource utilization goals of home composting policies. Products made from PHA biomaterials, such as packaging materials and tableware, can be directly added to home compost after use without special treatment, reducing waste generation and improving resource utilization.

PHA, as a biodegradable material, can be decomposed by microorganisms in the natural environment and converted into organic fertilizer, perfectly aligning with the resource utilization goals of home composting policies. Products made from PHA biomaterials, such as packaging materials and tableware, can be directly added to home compost after use without any special treatment, reducing waste generation and improving resource utilization.

The data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reveals a startling fact: nearly 220 million tons of trash are stuffed into landfills across the nation each year, accounting for almost half of the total municipal solid waste. When these organic wastes decompose in landfills, they release greenhouse gases like methane, impacting the Earth's ecological environment. Composting, like a magical "key," is now shining brightly, unlocking this thorny problem.

State policies across America are driving the transformation of organic waste from "trash" to "resource." Today, let's talk about the "evolution" of home composting in the US.

Home Composting vs. Industrial Composting

Composting, simply put, relies on microorganisms to break down organic waste, but the differences between home and industrial settings determine their distinct characteristics:

1. Processing Conditions and Cycles

Industrial Composting: Like a "high-temperature sauna" (50-70°C, plus high humidity), it can rapidly degrade within 30-180 days, suitable for processing materials like PLA that require high temperatures for decomposition.
Home Composting: Depends on natural conditions, nurturing microorganisms with kitchen scraps and fallen leaves, the cycle is longer (typically not exceeding one year), but it has a "zero equipment threshold," making it ideal for decentralized waste management at the household or community level.

Industrial Composting: Like a "high-temperature sauna" (50-70°C, plus high humidity), it can rapidly degrade within 30-180 days, suitable for processing materials like PLA that require high temperatures for decomposition.

Industrial composting: Like a "high-temperature sauna" (50-70℃, with high humidity), it can rapidly decompose within 30-180 days, suitable for processing materials like PLA that require high temperatures to break down.

Home composting: Relies on natural conditions, nurturing microorganisms through kitchen waste and fallen leaves, with a longer cycle (typically no more than 1 year), but has the advantage of "zero equipment threshold," making it suitable for decentralized waste management in households and communities.

2. Application Scenarios

Industrial composting: Often used in municipal or commercial projects, led by the government, such as curbside collection programs launched in some U.S. states, where residents' yard and food waste is regularly collected and sent to centralized facilities for industrial composting.

Industrial composting: Often used in municipal or commercial projects, led by the government, such as curbside collection programs launched in some U.S. states, where residents' yard and food waste is regularly collected and sent to centralized facilities for industrial composting.

Image | Roadside Composting Program in Bedford Town, New York State

Home composting: Taking a "people-friendly" approach, with greater emphasis on education and community involvement. For example, the community composting sites in Queens, New York, are managed by resident volunteers.

Home composting: Taking a "people-friendly" approach, with greater emphasis on education and community involvement. For example, the community composting sites in Queens, New York, are managed by resident volunteers.

Image | Community composting site in Queens, New York

Policy Evolution: From "Landfill Ban" to "Mandatory Sorting"

The "growth history" of composting policies in the United States reflects an upgrade in environmental concepts from "end-of-pipe treatment" to "source reduction":

1980-1990s: State governments issued "bans" on yard waste landfilling to promote the construction of composting facilities. For example, the city of Seattle provided free compost bins and offered classes, a two-pronged approach that increased household participation rates to 23%.

Image | Introduction to Seattle's 'Master Composter' Program

Figure | Introduction to Seattle's 'Master Composter' Program

In the 2000s, food waste became a policy focus. In 2009, California took the lead in implementing a mandatory composting law, requiring residents to sort and dispose of food waste. Violators could be fined up to $500.

Figure | Partial Content of California SB1383 Bill

Since 2010: Policies have shifted towards decentralization and community involvement, encouraging participation from everyone. For example, Vermont has established a "Community Composting Network," with small-scale projects in schools, farms, and other locations flourishing, creating a diversified processing system.

Image | Community composting training in Vermont

By reviewing the evolution and policy changes of home composting in the United States, it is not hard to see that composting has become an effective solution for organic waste. In recent years, the federal and state governments of the US have been accelerating the legislation on composting. The implementation of these policies has provided a broad market space and application prospects for biodegradable materials represented by PHA.

Facing increasingly severe environmental challenges, how to integrate existing policies and promote the widespread use of biodegradable materials has become an important issue before us. In our next post, we will combine the current hotspots of relevant policies in the US to reveal how PHA materials, with their unique advantages, have become the key to solving the problem of organic waste disposal.

Image source: Micro Construction Workshop, Pixbay, official websites of related activities in various states/cities in the US

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The Evolution of Environmental Policies in the United States (Part 1): Encouraging Home Composting, PHA to Enter a Golden Age

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