Meat, dairy, bones or diseased plants should be avoided when composting to discourage pests and diseases, according to the Johnson County Recycling Center. Photo from Adobe Stock.

By Terri Dee
Indiana News Service

INDIANAPOLIS — A cleaner environment through less waste is the goal of a new state organization, the Indiana Composting Council.

The council will enlist individuals, schools, businesses and farmers to help bring more organic waste diversion and sustainable soil building to Indiana.

Gowri Somasundaram, president of the council, explained compost starts with decomposed organic matter from food waste and grass clippings to shredded paper. When combined with air and water, the items break down into nutrient-rich soil, while minimizing plant diseases.

She pointed out it benefits the climate, too.

“Organic waste is the majority of the waste that emits greenhouse gas,” Somasundaram explained. “Which in turn is tied up with the climate and climate change, and other emissions that comes out of the landfill.”

An uptick in composting means more storage facilities will be needed. Recycling station owners must register with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and obey regulations about design, location, operation, dust, odor, noise and pathogen control. And the buildings are required to submit yearly updates on the quantity and type of materials processed. Indiana has 15 recycling centers.

The Indiana University Environmental Institute lists coffee grounds, fruits, vegetables and eggshells as ideal for lowering household trash output and minimizing clogged kitchen drains by composting instead. And people can avoid buying expensive chemical lawn fertilizers by using the healthier soil composting produces.

Somasundaram noted there are plenty of ways to get more involved, even for those who are unsure they can make a difference.

“If there is a good support from the community by giving their attendance and asking us the right questions, that is going to help to do the composting in the right way,” Somasundaram asserted.

She pointed out the council is looking forward to affecting the state by reimagining waste not as an end but as a beginning. She added they will help promote sustainability and the circular economy of the organics industry through education and programming.