Food scraps and solid and liquid fats have a density of 412 pounds in a 55-gallon drum. Techniques such as windows, static piles, and in-vessel systems generate energy and heat and destroy pathogens. Water and carbon dioxide dissipate into the atmosphere during this process. Windows are the most popular technique for composting food waste. It takes 3 -12 months to produce compost, depending in the process and type of food wastes being composted.
Food waste can attract rodents and other vectors.
Backyard compost piles that include food wastes must be tightly controlled. It is a useful soil conditioner that improves texture, air circulation, and drainage. Compost can moderate soil temperature, enhance nutrient and water-holding capacity, decrease erosion, inhibit weed growth, and suppress some plant pathogens. High quality compost can find a marker as a soil amendment and as mulch for landscaping, farming, horticulture and home gardens. Compost also can be uses as landfill cover or in land reclamation projects.