​BUFFALO, N.Y. — ​Buffalo River Compost takes tons of commercial waste and turns it by the truckload into rich soil that’s good for growing.

The composting reduces the need for chemical fertilizer and diverts thousands of tons of waste annually out of local landfills.

Located on the Buffalo River, the company processes almost 6,000 cubic yards of organic matter a year. Using scientific monitoring, workers manage the carbon and nitrogen levels to keep all the microorganisms inside the soil, making it perfect for growing.

Officials say they use everything from animal bedding from the Buffalo Zoo to flowers and wood chips from the Botanical Gardens to make that rich soil, and they appreciate that so many local companies understand the environmental benefits.

“It's part of the circular economy, you know? We're actually working with local people and businesses to take what was a waste and turn it into a product at the end of the day. And we just like to shop local support all our local economies,” Buffalo River Compost General Manager Brian Murphy said.

For more information, you can visit buffalorivercompost.com.