Every composting facility operator knows that it’s not just perfectly separated organic waste that ends up in the composting plant. Moreover, various waste streams require effective unpacking: organic waste generated from multiple sources such as street collection, markets, large retailers, as well as stations, ports, and airports, all contained in plastic, metal, or cardboard packaging. Or even defective or expired products such as cosmetics and detergents. Tiger Depack offers a solution to this problem. It is designed for the recovery of packaged products, production waste, and organic matrices. It processes both segregated biological waste and expired packaged food, or simply cleans recyclables before they are removed.
Patrick Geraty, founder of the U.S. company St. Louis Composting, talks about the challenges faced by composters and how his company minimizes contamination with the help of specialized equipment.
Could you give us an overview of your company and composting facilities?
Founded in 1992 by eco-enthusiast Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting is the largest compost producer in the region. Together, our nine composting facilities process over 1 million cubic yards of green material annually, more than half of all garden waste generated in St. Louis County. In addition to composting garden waste collected from major waste operators in the area, we receive and compost material collected from private homeowners. We transport and process over 300 tons of organic food waste every week, keeping our landfills free from these organic residues.
Where are your facilities located?
Our nine facilities are located throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Our unpacking facility is in downtown St. Louis.
What kind of organic waste do you process at your facilities?
We process a wide range of organic waste at our facilities, from food waste to garden waste. Our unpacking facility handles a variety of items such as canned foods, Tetra Pak cartons, packaged foods in cardboard, packaged foods in plastic, pet food, contaminated food waste, packaged snacks, and dairy products. After unpacking, these materials are combined with inputs such as garden waste, branches, leaves, grass, and even shredded banknotes, all transformed into high-quality compost.
Have you noticed an increase in demand for composting? If so, what do you think are the reasons?
Yes, we’ve seen a significant increase in demand for composting, driven by growing environmental awareness and the push toward sustainability. As individuals, businesses, and municipalities work to divert organic waste from landfills, reduce emissions, and embrace green initiatives, composting has become a crucial component of zero-waste programs.
Is contamination a problem at your facilities?
Contamination can be a challenge, especially with mixed waste streams, but we take a proactive approach to minimize it. Our unpacking equipment is designed to efficiently separate non-organic materials from compostable inputs, and our eco-sift machines further refine the compost to ensure its quality. We emphasize quality control and ongoing education to prevent contamination from becoming an issue, ensuring the consistent production of high-quality compost.
What motivated you to choose the Tiger Depack?
After reviewing other options, we were confident in choosing the Tiger Depack due to our established relationship with Ecoverse, the U.S. importer of Tiger Depack. Their reputation for quality products assured us that this technology would meet our needs.
How many Tiger Depack units are you operating, and for how long?
We have been using a Tiger Depack since 2020.
Can you describe the new machinery and their key features?
We use the Tiger Food Depackager along with the Doppstadt DSP 205 Bio Press and the Doppstadt Conveyor since 2020. These machines are efficient at separating packaging from organics.
How do the new machines differ from those you used before?
The new machines have opened up entirely new opportunities for us, allowing us to start unpacking organics, a process we didn’t do before. This capability has significantly expanded the volume of organic material we can process, allowing us to divert even more material from landfills. By separating packaging from organics, we’ve been able to collaborate with large companies to help them achieve their zero-waste goals, marking a significant step forward in our sustainability efforts.
What kind of training was required for your staff to operate the new machinery?
Ecoverse provided on-site training for our operators, ensuring a smooth transition to the new machinery.
What advice would you give to other composting facilities considering similar investments?
It’s essential to understand that unforeseen challenges will arise, so thorough research is key. Visiting other facilities that do organics unpacking and seeing the process firsthand can be incredibly helpful in making informed decisions.
