Whether for the economy or nature, composting has a handful of benefits. Traditional composting methods have been around since ancient times, and have stuck around ever since. Composting maintains ecological balance since it returns to the earth whatever was taken from it.
What Does Traditional Composting Mean?
Traditional composting methods include vermicomposting, hot composting, and direct composting, to name a few. In other words, any compost methods that don’t use machinery or technology are considered “traditional” in this context.
Photo Credit: Pramod Kumar Sharma
Traditional Composting Pros
Cost-Effective
Traditional compost methods require virtually no upkeep or maintenance, making them a viable option for cost-saving composting. A makeshift composting system is relatively straightforward, and would only require a garden-side pile, some tools and so on.
Natural Fertilizer
Traditional composting methods still provide the end product we want: compost. If you’re looking for a way to get some natural fertilizer to efficiently encourage your plants’ growth, traditional composting methods will do the trick just fine.
Completes Nature’s Cycle
Nature’s cycle or the “ecological loop” is the self-regulating process through which the earth’s limited resources like water, carbon and nitrogen are recycled. When composting is done, rich manure is created using leftovers, therefore completing the ecological process.
Photo Credit: Roman Synkevy
Traditional Composting Cons
Labour-Intense
While the concept of composting itself is rather simple, the actual process of it is not. Composting is not only a practice that requires a lot of skill, but it also involves a lot of physical effort. This is largely due to the compost pile that requires specific arrangements to effectively create usable compost. The heap of compost also requires regular checking and maintenance.
Requires Large Space
Traditional composting methods require a large amount of space. This non-negotiable requirement can be nearly impossible to work with especially if you live in a smaller place like an apartment building. Most traditional composting methods require some sort of pile, which can be hard to make room for. Not to mention the messy appearance of compost piles that can alter the atmosphere of your living space.
Extremely Unpleasant Odours
When it comes to composting, the bottom line is that there are lots of rotting and decomposing happening at the same time, making unpleasant odours unavoidable. Because of this, the aforementioned large spaces come in handy as it creates distance between your living space and the compost pile.
Takes A Long Time
Regardless of how little food waste you add to your traditional compost pile, there’s no way to rush the process. Traditional composting methods can take weeks or even months to complete the composting process; even then you have to keep an eye on the pile consistently.
What Is Reencle?
Reencle is an indoor compost machine that turns kitchen scraps into high-quality and nutrient-rich compost. It does this effectively thanks to Reencle’s patented ReencleMicrobe™, a self-replicating microbe that continues providing compost as long as food waste is added to the machine.
Photo Credit: Reencle
Reencle Composter Pros
No Unpleasant Odours
Reencle has a built-in triple-layer carbon filter that keeps all the typical grimey smells composting causes, inside the machine itself. Thanks to this feature, you never have to worry about your food waste creating unpleasant odours while it’s being composted.
Nutrient-Rich Compost
Despite requiring little to no maintenance and tracking, Reencle still creates nutrient-rich compost that has tremendous benefits for your soil and plants.
Only Requires 2-24 Hours
While traditional compost methods can take anywhere from weeks to months to complete, Reencle achieves the same results in 24 hours or less. Through the process of fermentation and decomposition, Reencle’s ReencleMicrobe™ turns food waste into compost that can be used to improve soil quality.
Sleek & Compact
The design and build of a Reencle composter in itself are made to fit in your home seamlessly. Its metallic finish and measurement of 12 x 13.0 x 18.4 inches make it the perfect addition to any modern home. It is also made with a built-in touch-free motion sensor that allows you to open its lid without physically touching it.
Reencle Composter Cons
Higher Price Point
Modern compost machines like Reencle require years of research and development, not to mention are relatively new in the market, especially in Malaysia. Because of this, a lot goes into allowing Reencle to operate at the quality that it does. Unfortunately, this results in its price point being slightly higher than the cost that traditional composting would require.
Not All Waste Is Compostable
Given that Reencle is a compost machine that doesn’t contain any grinders nor does it use heat/drying methods in its composting process, some kitchen wastes become un-compostable. For example, while some indoor “compost” machines are able to “compost” chicken bones due to their in-machine grinders, Reencle, much like regular compost bins, is unable to successfully and entirely compost chicken bones. The same applies to extremely oil-heavy food wastes as they might disrupt the ReencleMicrobe™’s ecology.
Photo Credit: Igor Son
Much like anything else, both these forms of composting have pros and cons. It ultimately boils down to your lifestyle, needs and how much work you're willing to put into your compost.