Hi,
I love the idea of composting on a larger scale. My only question is about how your plan will deal with issues of toxicity--running off in liquid form, or remaining in the final product. From pesticides to petrochemicals to preservatives, if you collect ALL food garbage for the purpose of composting it, is there a risk of then returning the compost to food-growing land with an increased concentration of toxins? Because I grew up in an organic household and only compost organic food remnants, I'm ignorant of what happens when polluted food enters this kind of system. I suspect that it will help your entry to address this topic.
I do not know how pesticides accumulate in compost. Anyone have any research? Alice, would you like to lead this research, I can not do everything on this alone. greg gerritt
Sadly, no. I'm available to ask questions, but can not commit to conducting research. I work full time at one university and attend school full time at another. Maybe someone else will have some insight or leads to offer.
One place to look might be within the permaculture world. The Yeltsins (in Maine right now) have decades of experience in permaculture and reclaiming wastelands--even to the point of creating an inch of topsoil per year. My guess is that they would have great information about how strategic plants could be used to lift certain kinds of toxins from the compost prior to it being distributed for use. I'm thinking that that kind of solution will be the easiest to implement and maintain from a cost standpoint.
I know, for example, that some plants will lift lead from soil (geraniums, maybe?). The downside is that the plants that perform the service become toxic waste, but my bet is that the volume of waste generated by service plants will be much smaller than the volume of waste we create by not composting food remnants.
Gaston, I do not have much experience on social business models. What I do know is that in this case, the enterprise will not get going unless we can find a way to make a profit.
Comentários
Hi,
I love the idea of composting on a larger scale. My only question is about how your plan will deal with issues of toxicity--running off in liquid form, or remaining in the final product. From pesticides to petrochemicals to preservatives, if you collect ALL food garbage for the purpose of composting it, is there a risk of then returning the compost to food-growing land with an increased concentration of toxins? Because I grew up in an organic household and only compost organic food remnants, I'm ignorant of what happens when polluted food enters this kind of system. I suspect that it will help your entry to address this topic.
Kindly,
AliceR
I do not know how pesticides accumulate in compost. Anyone have any research? Alice, would you like to lead this research, I can not do everything on this alone. greg gerritt
Sadly, no. I'm available to ask questions, but can not commit to conducting research. I work full time at one university and attend school full time at another. Maybe someone else will have some insight or leads to offer.
One place to look might be within the permaculture world. The Yeltsins (in Maine right now) have decades of experience in permaculture and reclaiming wastelands--even to the point of creating an inch of topsoil per year. My guess is that they would have great information about how strategic plants could be used to lift certain kinds of toxins from the compost prior to it being distributed for use. I'm thinking that that kind of solution will be the easiest to implement and maintain from a cost standpoint.
I know, for example, that some plants will lift lead from soil (geraniums, maybe?). The downside is that the plants that perform the service become toxic waste, but my bet is that the volume of waste generated by service plants will be much smaller than the volume of waste we create by not composting food remnants.
Best of luck!
Alice
Dear Greg according to your experience what are the main barriers or challenges so that social business models can thrive?
Cheers
Gaston, I do not have much experience on social business models. What I do know is that in this case, the enterprise will not get going unless we can find a way to make a profit.
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