Composting
Returning organic matter to the soil through controlled aerobic biological processes, producing compost that can improve soil structure and fertility.
/ Circularity
From linear to circular.
Not all of the food waste can be prevented. The next question is what happens to the organic resources that remain.
The linear model
- Produce
- Consume
- Discard
The circular model
- Prevent
- Consume
- Recover
- Return
Anaerobic Digestion
Processing organic material in the absence of oxygen to produce biogas and digestate. Digestate can be used as a nutrient-rich soil amendment where quality standards are met.
Biogas
Recovering renewable energy from organic material. Biogas typically contains around 45–75% methane [15] and can be used for heat and electricity or upgraded to biomethane.
Organic Resource Recovery
Keeping nutrients and organic matter within productive systems instead of treating them solely as waste.
/ Local context
Locally appropriate solutions.
The appropriate solution will differ from city to city, depending on waste composition, collection systems, available infrastructure, climate, regulation and market demand for compost, energy and digestate.
ICFG therefore focuses on locally appropriate, technically sound and measurable pathways — always placing prevention first.