Corey Morgan

What are the differences between organic waste and inorganic waste?

Have you ever thought twice about what you toss in the garbage can? If you haven’t, you might not have realized there are different types of waste: organic waste and inorganic waste. What are the differences between the two? Some of our readers weighed in on the discussion. Keep reading to learn in what ways they are different and in what ways they are the same.

Jen Stark

Jen Stark

Jen Stark is the founder of Happy DIY Home.

Organic and Inorganic Waste Disposal is Different

Organic waste is waste that originates from a living thing, such as a plant or an animal. They return to the environment faster and are easier for microorganisms to break down. Any material that can be contributed to your compost bins is biodegradable and is an example of organic waste.

Inorganic waste is the opposite of organic waste. It contains no organic compounds and has a negative impact on the environment. It takes up space, pollutes in some ways, and takes much longer to decompose into the environment. Inorganic waste disposal is also a major issue. Inorganic waste examples include various plastics, cans, bottles, and many others. Reducing, reusing, and recycling are the best solutions.

Inorganic pollutants contaminate bodies of water, soil, and air, posing health risks. This has a negative impact on our lives. To help reduce the environmental impact, we can reduce our usage and segregate them to avoid mixing them together.

Organic waste can also be harmful if not properly disposed of. It emits methane, a potent glasshouse gas that harms the environment. Methane emissions are significantly reduced by composting waste food and other organic waste. Chemical fertilizers are reduced, and in some cases eliminated, by composting. Composting can begin in our own backyard. This is a simple and effective method for reducing food waste.

Corey Morgan

Corey Morgan

Morgan, Marketing Director & Videographer at Kind Home Painting.

Origin, Disintegration, and Disposal

Organic and inorganic wastes are by-products of human consumption. Key differences between the two include where they come from, how they decompose or disintegrate, and how they should be disposed of. Organic wastes come from living organisms such as plants and animals, while inorganic wastes come from nonliving things or are a result of human intervention.

Organic wastes are generally biodegradable, while inorganic wastes aren’t. Improper disposal of organic and inorganic wastes has led to the contamination of soil and water supplies, significantly contributing to pollution. Discarding inorganic wastes such as batteries, oils, toxic metals, and chemicals cause considerable effects on human health and the environment. Everyone should make significant contributions to reduce waste in the first place.

Kyle MacDonald

Kyle MacDonald

Kyle MacDonald, Director of Operations, Force by Mojio.

Natural Versus Unnatural Products

Organic waste comes from something that was once living, either plant or animal. It is biodegradable and will decompose naturally on its own. Organic waste actually serves an important role in the environment. Organic waste fuels microbes and minerals in the dirt, allowing new plants to grow and new dirt to be formed.

Inorganic waste, conversely, comes from unnatural products, such as plastic and other non-organic materials. Inorganic waste does not decompose readily and can be harmful to the environment in the decomposition process. Recycling programs exist as an effort to safely dispose of many inorganic products, like plastics.

Adam Rossi

Adam Rossi

Adam Rossi, CEO of TotalShield.

Biodegradable as Opposed to Difficult to Decompose

Organic and inorganic waste each have different impacts on the environment. Inorganic waste (waste devoid of organic compounds) is significantly more difficult to decompose. Without proper recycling efforts, inorganic waste poses a significant threat to the environment. Inorganic waste can lead to pollution, wildlife harm, and overwhelming landfills.

Organic waste, on the other hand, is completely biodegradable, which means that it can decompose naturally. While it is, therefore, less inherently damaging to the environment, the over-accumulation of organic is still problematic for waste management. Composting and recycling are excellent ways to cut down on your personal organic waste production.

This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors’ statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.