Postdoc Leads Study to Turn Cotton Waste into Climate-Smart Compost

UC Merced researchers are collaborating on a two-year research project to develop effective composting methods for cotton textiles.

The project explores manufacturing cotton waste scraps from clothing into compost to demonstrate efficient composting with the right recipe, and the compost's ability to nourish soils without introducing pollutants, according to UC Merced's project lead, Biyensa Dubiwak, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences.

"The textile industry produces over 90 million metric tons of waste every year that ends up in landfills, contributing significantly to global methane emissions," Dubiwak said. "We are interested in recycling it and putting it back into the soil to maintain the sustainability of the industry, in addition to the benefits the compost would provide to farmers."

The UC Merced-led project is part of a broader collaboration involving Bowles Farming, Agromin, Fibershed, and Cotton Incorporated who funded the project. The goal is to create a circular economy by recycling cotton waste into compost and returning it to the soil to close the loop on agricultural sustainability.

"Bowles Farming, in partnership with Agromin, one the largest composting companies in the region, is working toward circular practices for sustainable production, improved soil health, and reduced environmental impacts," Dubiwak said. "They want to make the system soil-to-soil sustainable and environmentally friendly."