Sustainability

Local Startup Turns Food Waste into Garden Gold

An Oakville startup is converting restaurant scraps into high-quality compost, offering residents a sustainable solution while helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

By Daniel Patel | 2025-09-05 09:03

In a modest industrial unit tucked behind a strip mall in Oakville, a quiet green revolution is underway. CompostLoop, a local startup founded by two environmental science grads, is turning food waste from area restaurants into nutrient-rich compost for gardens and farms across Halton.

The company collects bins of organic scraps from over 40 eateries, including vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and egg shells. These are brought to their small processing hub where they’re mixed, aerated, and broken down in temperature-controlled composters over several weeks.

“We wanted to tackle two problems at once—food waste and poor soil health,” said co-founder Marcus Lee. “Instead of shipping waste to landfill where it emits methane, we transform it into something regenerative.” The compost is sold to local garden centers and direct to homeowners.

One of their clients, a family-run bistro on Lakeshore Road, says the service has cut their weekly garbage output by nearly half. “It’s simple,” said manager Francine Dupuis. “They drop off clean bins, we fill them with scraps, and they pick them up. No mess, no fuss—and it’s good for the planet.”

CompostLoop’s success is also inspiring interest from nearby school boards and retirement homes, who see composting as a way to engage communities in sustainability. The founders are now in talks with the town to expand operations and secure a larger facility.

As Oakville looks to reduce its carbon footprint, startups like CompostLoop are showing that small, local action can yield tangible environmental benefits. “We’re not just making compost,” said Lee. “We’re changing the way people think about waste.”