February Advocacy News
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California
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking produce-growing state California to work on additional ways to ensure compost meets Food Safety Modernization Act requirements for pathogen reduction, especially after last year’s widespread lettuce contamination. The state may be considering expanding compost training and certification requirements in response.
A $4.5 million grant is being deployed for research by University of California Berkeley and Davis scientists into a better assessment of the benefits to climate change ahievable through compost use on agriculture croplands and healthy soils.
Maryland
Composting advocates are anticipating the release of a state report resulting from a study group assembled as a result of 2017-HB171, a bill to look at how to increase composting infrastructure in Maryland. State recommendations are in formation.
New Jersey
New Jersey has proposed new organics recycling legislation based on California’s short-lived Climate Pollutant Act. New Jersey also has been working on a competing proposal for a food waste disposal ban based on laws from Connecticut and other northeastern states. The NJ Composting Council is evaluating these two pieces of rival legislation. The Council also is engaging with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to revise the exemptions from solid waste permitting requirements for organics recycling operations within the state.
State Legislation
Watch for upcoming legislation in the states of California, Colorado and New Jersey on the topics of funding composting/recycling through tipping fees and other mechanisms, as well as potential diversion mandates. USCC Chapters are actively working with legislators on these bills.
