Industrial or commercial composting is the system used by cities to process large volumes of organic waste material.
There are basically three techniques used in industrial composting: windrow, in-vessel, and aerated static pile composting.
Industrial composting can process large amounts of waste and it can accommodate virtually any type of organic waste — meat, animal manure, bio-solids, and food scraps, for example. This method of composting controls environmental conditions such as temperature, moisture, and airflow. The material is mechanically turned or mixed to make sure the material is aerated to encourage bacterial activity. Industrial composting is done under controlled environmental conditions. By regulating the amount of heat and moisture of the organic waste materials, facilities can break down organics at a much faster rate than it would otherwise take.
Home composting is a small scale, unregulated process where an individual or household turns a bin of organics / compostables until it breaks down and becomes soil again. It is important for this process to be aerated (turned so materials are exposed to air) but it is not temperature controlled. Home compostable bio-plastics can be discarded in an industrial facility as well but does not require it.