37 Tips for Keeping Food Fresh Longer. The average household tosses out 14% of the food they buy, according to Money magazine. For the typical family, thatâs over $1,300 a year! I donât know about you, but Iâd MUCH rather spend that kind of money on a getaway with my familyâ¦not throwing it in the trash!
By graphing compost temperature over time, you can tell how far along the decomposition has progressed. A well constructed compost system will heat up to 40 or 50C within two to three days. As readily decomposable organic matter becomes depleted, the temperature begins to drop and the process slows considerably.
Compostable products, defined by ASTM International standards 6400 or 6868, biodegrade in commercial composting facilities at a specified rate (usually 180 days or less). But it isn't as simple as it might seem. Restaurateurs have no guarantees if they want to use a local farm's compost or their own backyard facility.