Across South Africa, large volumes of food and garden waste are collected each week – from homes, restaurants, fresh produce markets and public spaces. Most of it is taken straight to landfill, where it breaks down to emit a vast amount of methane. What many people don’t realise is that this everyday material, when managed properly, can support much more than landfill diversion or emissions reduction. Organic waste has immense economic value when repurposed.
A missed opportunity
Organic waste makes up a significant portion of the waste sent to municipal landfill sites. According to the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa, it accounts for up to 40% of total municipal waste. This includes food that has passed its expiry date, trimmings from kitchens, spoiled produce from markets, and garden waste.
At the moment, most of this is treated as ‘rubbish’. But it doesn’t need to be.
Local benefit, not just waste reduction
When composting becomes part of everyday operations (and habits for consumers), it opens up multiple benefits. Compost can be used in school or community gardens, sold to local farmers, or applied in municipal greening projects. Local businesses can reduce municipal waste collection and disposal costs, while urban facilities can utilise compost to support green spaces, which will ultimately increase citizen engagement and potentially boost property prices.
At the same time, composting supports job creation, not only in waste collection or compost production, but also in local agriculture, food gardens, and hospitality.
BiobiN makes this possible through a large-scale, easily accessible composting unit. A BiobiN can be used within office parks, shared between restaurants, within shopping centres, universities, and more. It is the perfect resource to tap into the value of organic waste.
What’s getting in the way?
Even though national policies support organic waste diversion, implementation is uneven. Some municipalities are beginning to act; for example, the City of Cape Town has introduced home composting bins and aims to phase out organic waste to landfill by 2027. But in many areas, composting is still seen as a side project, rather than part of the core waste strategy.
Many municipalities face constraints around funding, staffing and infrastructure. Businesses may not know where to start or how to ensure compost quality. But none of these are fixed barriers. With the right partnerships in place – between local government, service providers, communities and the private sector, it’s possible to design systems that are reliable and financially viable.
Systems like BiobiN are well-suited to this because they require minimal setup, can operate in tight spaces, and don’t depend on heavy civil infrastructure.
Integrating composting into everyday systems
Organic waste is not a new challenge, but our response to it can be much more deliberate. Composting is a practical, affordable and scalable solution that helps communities hold on to value rather than throw it away. It’s also a way to support cleaner neighbourhoods, restore soils, and build more resilient food systems over time.
What matters most is how we think about organic waste, not as an afterthought, but as part of the everyday materials cycle. BiobiN encourages a different way of thinking about waste. It offers a system that is easy to use, fits into existing routines, and turns everyday food scraps into something practical and locally valuable.