Business
BY JOVANNA AGUILAR
Zero Waste Houston collects food waste to minimize trash distributed to landlls.
Zero Waste Houston owner Leo Brito was part of an event launching a composting pilot program in Houston in 2024.
PHOTOS COURTESY ZERO WASTE HOUSTON
Zero Waste Houston turns food scraps into compost
Since 2019, Zero Waste Houston has been help- ing residents and businesses turn their food scraps into nutrient-rich compost used in landscaping and gardens. Company owner and The Woodlands resident Leo Brito said The Woodlands-based company’s mission-driven business model not only keeps food waste out of landlls, but it also replaces chemical fertilizers with sustainable soil solutions. “You’re not just paying for the service for yourself; you are investing in solving the societal problems that we have, because I truly care about the state of the world and where we’re at, and I want the absolute best for our country’s health, on every level, from the ecosystems down to the soil,” Brito said. What you need to know Brito said according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 62% of all materi- als that end up in landlls can be composted. In addition to food waste pickup services, Zero Waste Houston also educates the community on the importance of being mindful of the environment and the way they discard materials from their consumption. “It is a great service and falls in line with what [The Woodlands] founder, George Mitchell, envisioned for The Woodlands,” Brito said. “The Woodlands produces over 42 million pounds of
organic waste per year.” Shifting the community’s mindset to how mate- rials including food are discarded often requires a complete lifestyle change, Brito said. Brito said according to data collected from The Woodlands Township, out of 124,541 current residents in The Woodlands, each composting 345 pounds per year: • 42.97 million of landll waste can be diverted • 14.18 million pounds of waste can be made into compost • 111.71 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions can be prevented How it works The family-owned business operates from an o¡ce in The Woodlands along with two trucks and o¢ers services to residential homes locally as well as commercial services to the Houston area. Zero Waste Houston uses the food waste picked up from residential homes and businesses to create compost it uses for its landscaping services such as landscaping maintenance and plant nursery services. Zero Waste Houston also launched the Houston School of Compost in 2025. Through the school, Zero Waste Houston o¢ers an interactive, two-part certication course to coach individuals through the process of hot composting, which speeds the decomposition process, according to its website.
Five-gallon buckets are provided for food waste.
Compostable materials • Fruit/vegetables
• Fried food • Egg shells • Dairy • Coffee grounds/ilters • Bread/grains • Bones • Meat • Moldy food • Freezer-burned food • Nuts/seeds • Seafood/shells • Tea bags (staple removed) • Fur/hair • Newspaper • Flowers • Wood ash
SOURCE: ZERO WASTE HOUSTONCOMMUNITY IMPACT
www.zerowastehoustontx.com
47
THE WOODLANDS EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook