New findings fill knowledge gaps as states approach new national waste-reduction strategy
New findings fill knowledge gaps as states approach new national waste-reduction strategy Experiments reveal the impacts of different organic waste products on soil chemistry and grass growth.
Image Credit: Jennifer Morash
With the White House announcing ambitious new national goals in June for boosting the recycling of organic waste to help fight climate change and promote a circular economy, research from the University of Maryland could help states and local governments get on board.
Recycling organic material like compost and yard trimmings often means putting it back into the ground to improve soil properties and increase the carbon content of disturbed soils. But not all organic waste is created equal and their effects on soil as well as the surrounding environment can differ vastly.
The new study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, reveals how three different types of organic waste products impact soil fertility and suitability for plant growth, and makes recommendations for how these recycled organics should be used.
“In order to have an effective strategy to manage organic waste, and put organic materials back into natural systems, you have to think about how to market and use the products that are made from recycled organic goods without creating unintended consequences,” said the study’s lead author Jennifer Morash, a postdoctoral associate in UMD’s Department of Environmental Science and Technology.
