The Business of Composting: OrganiCycle’s Journey to a Cleaner, Greener Michigan

When landfills began to overflow in West Michigan, entrepreneur Dan Tietema saw an opportunity — and a responsibility. What began as a simple hauling service in 2011 evolved into Organicycle, a company that now collects, processes, and transforms food, paper, and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost for local farms and landscapes. In this episode of Green Disruptors, Dan shares his path from bottled water to medical waste to composting, the moment he had to start making compost himself, and why he believes the next five years will be a tipping point for widespread adoption. You’ll hear practical tips for reducing contamination, insights on scaling a waste-reduction business, and a vision for how communities can cut methane emissions while creating a valuable resource from what we throw away.