Target Organics Works to Expand Municipal Composting Programs

	Evidence from the survey supports the need for USCC to take on a more comprehensive role in expanding resources, connections and potential funding mechanisms.

USCC’s Target Organics Committee was formed to support municipalities in developing, executing and growing programs to collect and process food scraps and other organics. Committee assessments are underway with municipalities across the U.S. to provide alignment and engagement of many USCC, CCREF and member services; programs; and other resources housed within the association and its specialized member network.

In November 2018, the Target Organics Committee sent a survey to more than 1,400 municipal contacts, and more than 80 participants responded to a series of questions crafted to identify the key inhibitors to expanding organics recycling programs. Evidence from the survey supports the need for USCC to take on a more comprehensive role in expanding resources, connections and potential funding mechanisms. In summary:

• 92% of respondents are looking to USCC for more help with program success and development, and 85% want support USCC to grow infrastructure                                                                     
• 79% of cities and 56% of states don’t have a landfill organics ban                               
• 70% of respondents want to increase composting capacity, and 45% say they are currently limited in their capacity to compost                                                             
• 68% say some private funding is necessary to increase capacity, and 57% of respondents say funding is a challenge
• 67% of respondents have high interest in having composting programs, with 49% saying community support for maintaining composting options is solid       

The survey results show that the most significant limiting factor to capacity expansion and infrastructure development is a lack of funding. The Target Organics Committee is releasing a follow-up survey in August to gain a deeper level of insight on this issue and design a resource center tailored to respond to the specific needs of respondents. If you are interested in being included in the survey or in sharing it with your municipal contacts or other stakeholders, e-mail Hilary Nichols at USCC for a link to the survey.