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| Past Issues | Subscribe | Send to a Friend | compostingcouncil.org | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 From the Top of the Pile
Linda Norris-Waldt
Deputy Director Photo by Cameron Smith on Unsplash
The compost industry, along with the rest of the United States, is adjusting to a new reality in Washington with the inauguration of President Donald Trump. We at the USCC are watching and planning possible action based on differing scenarios as we wait to see how the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, shake out.
The US Composting Council is feeling the same pain that many of our members have with their frozen grants from programs like the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program, where Table to Farm Compost owner Monique DiGiorgio is coping with frozen funds (see article here). Recipients of Composting and Food Waste Reduction grants are in similar hiatus. Those two programs brought $23.4 million of economic development to communities before the latest 25 recipients had their announcements frozen. USCC’s Conservation Innovation Grant of more than $4 million for trials to study the impact of compost on range and farmland has similarly been frozen, as well.
We understand the need to ensure the viability and return on investment to the American people for all of these programs, and we hope DOGE gives composting the opportunity to prove its long-term ROI. As you know, we have lots of resources, like our compost benefits webpage that shows the reason compost provides proven ecosystem benefits such as stormwater management, erosion control, and drought resistance for the soils – and yes, we hear the new accepted term for the frequent and destructive storms of the past couple years is now “extreme weather events.”
USCC NEWS
Join us for our upcoming webinar, “School Composting From the Soil Up” taking place on Tuesday, April 1, at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
Featuring program leaders from Florida, New York, and Kentucky, this webinar will be using three different models as examples to help you learn about the common obstacles faced in starting a school composting program and how dedicated groups overcame them to establish successful diversion programs.
Click the button below to register today.
This month, the USCC published its Positions and Compost Information webpage, containing information ranging from basic facts about composting to our stance on issues that impact the composting industry.
Spearheaded by our communications department, in conjunction with our advocacy program, this webpage is designed to serve as a resource for newcomers and seasoned composters alike. Visitors can easily learn about the industry and the issues that we consider significant in its impact.
Click the button below to visit the webpage.
The COMPOST2025 photos are in! Attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors, check your inbox! On Thursday, March 6, we sent the official event photos from COMPOST2025 in Phoenix. Relive the energy, connections and innovations, and feel free to share your favorite moments! Make sure to tag us and use the #COMPOST2025 hashtag when posting your pictures on social media! Save the date for COMPOST2026 in Sacramento, CA! Our next conference will return to the Golden State Feb. 2-5, 2026. 
ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY BRIEFS
In January 2025, the EPA released a report on the environmental value of applying compost for improving soil health for stormwater management, contaminated site remediation, ecosystem restoration landscaping, and agriculture.
Click the button below to see the full report.
This is the US Composting Council's Compost Policy Pulse update for February 2025.
Advocacy Director Linda Norris-Waldt addresses inconsistencies on state bills and federal support concerning PFAS regulation. She also shares other federal news and some important updates from the USCC and its advocacy committee LEAC.
These updates are brought to our members from our Public Policy and Lobbying Program, and the Legislative and Environmental Affairs Committee – a member committee that meets monthly to discuss legislation, regulation, issues, and programs.
COMPOST USE
New Process Now Available - Required for STA Participants Starting May 1, 2025
The Seal of Testing Assurance Program® is taking a major step forward to better serve our industry and compost markets nationally. We have launched electronic processes for generating the Chain of Custody and Compost Technical Data Sheet in the USCC Gateway.
These digital tools are now available for use and will be fully integrated into the STA Program starting May 1, 2025. This transition is designed to simplify the documentation process, enhance compliance, streamline data management, and support the continued growth of the program alongside our industry.
Click the button below to learn more about the new process and other STA-related news.
STATE CHAPTER NEWS
The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition, the USCC’s Illinois state chapter, placed a full-page ad in the February edition of “The Landscape Contractor,” a magazine published by Landscape Illinois, formerly known as the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association.
The ad shares the benefits of using compost in landscaping projects and highlights the USCC’s STA Program as a certification program that ensures the use of high-quality compost products meeting established standards appropriate for intended use.
Click the button below to see the ad in the magazine on page 136.
This half-day training coordinated by the Florida Composting Council will take place on May 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at the Sunshine Organics & Compost facility in Jacksonville, FL.
Hear from speakers Monica Hampton, Ph.D., and Sunshine Organics & Compost owners Michael and Christina Kelcourse. Click the button below to see the full agenda and register.
The Georgia Composting Council invites you to the Georgia Compost Connect on April 16 in Dublin, GA! Join the GCC for a full day of learning, sharing, and connecting on compost in Georgia. The event will start with morning presentations at Oconee Fall Line Technical College, and will move to the Laurens County Compost Facility for a tour and equipment demonstration.
Click on the button below to learn more.
Sustainable Spirits are professional networking events that rotate around the state for people who share the North Carolina Composting Council’s environmental commitment to composting & waste reduction. Join us in March during the week of the Carolina Recycling Association Conference for delicious food, spirits, and company! Appetizers are provided by the NCCC, with thanks to our event sponsors: Seabird Restaurant and Wilmington Compost Company.
Click the button below to RSVP to help us prepare an appropriate amount of food.
Member Benefits
It can be challenging to executive large-dollar projects on membership dues alone.
Thanks to the support of our high-level members who make up the Corporate Compost Leadership Council, we have been able to fund these without having to push membership dues above increases to cost of living. These CCLC members represent generators such as food retail, venues, and distribution companies; companies seeking compostable packaging of their food products; and companies in the packaging realm who want to hear firsthand what composters are experiencing in the piles.
Click the button below to learn more about what the CCLC does.
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Are you a young professional, student or new to the materials management industry and planning to attend the 2025 NYS Organics Summit? Grab a drink and join the NYSAR3 Young & Emerging Professionals committee and USCC Young Professionals Group in the Great American Grille for networking BINGO!
Date: April 8, 2025
Time: 6-7 p.m. ET
Location: Great American Grille at the Hilton Garden Inn Troy
Please note that attendees of the Meet & Greet need to be registered attendees at the 2025 NYS Organics Summit. To learn more about the NYS Organics Summit and how to register, click the button below.
We are excited to announce our May Happy Hour will be taking place on May 8 at 5 p.m. ET
Click the button below to register!
We are thrilled to highlight Josh Enderle as March’s YP of the Month. Josh is currently a Waste Reduction Consultant at CET.
Josh’s compost journey started in college when he became involved in the Eco-Reps program in his first year at Ithaca College. Josh volunteered to sort waste at on-campus events and for downtown events through the Compost, Recycle, Trash program of the Recycling and Materials Management of Tompkins County until he graduated. It wasn’t until Josh started as the Recycling and Composting Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Broome County, where he started and managed his first compost pile.
Click the button below to learn more about Josh.
Are you a passionate young professional looking to connect with like-minded individuals in the composting industry? Look no further! We invite you to join our vibrant and engaging Slack community.
By joining our Slack, you'll have the opportunity to:
It's easy to get started! Simply click the button below to join our Slack community and start connecting with fellow Young Professionals today.
MEMBER NEWS
The City of Boulder, CO, was highlighted in a white paper developed by consulting firm Canopy Edge on how to coordinate a successful municipal zero-waste program.
The white paper goes into detail on how the city’s collection system and decades of policy work to bring its zero-waste initiative to fruition can be a template for how other municipal programs can be run.
Click the button below to read the full white paper.
In its latest effort to expand the infrastructure required to support food waste composting in the District, the Department of Public Works announces the installation of 30 food waste “Smart Bins” across the District. These smart bins will provide residents with convenient, 24/7 drop-off locations for food scraps.
“Nationally, one-third of all food produced is being thrown away,” says DPW Director Timothy Spriggs. “By installing Food Waste Smart Bins across the District, DPW is expanding access to food waste diversion opportunities for all District residents, an important step in helping to divert 80% of waste from disposal to achieve DC’s Zero Waste goals.”
The Michigan State University’s Surplus Store and Recycling Center handles tens of millions of pounds of recyclables and used objects every year. Every day, employees sort through cereal boxes, compost, and metals to identify recyclables that can be transformed into new products.
One of the site’s most unique features is the Vermicompost facility, located outside the main building. This space houses more than a million worms of various species, which play a vital role in transforming dining hall waste into premium compost. The vermicompost facility successfully converts over 200,000 pounds of organic material from campus dining halls, Sparty’s locations, and local coffee shops each year, according to the MSU Sustainability website.
Photo by Ryan Haft on Unsplash
A year into its first Yard Waste Program, the City of Tampa's Solid Waste and Environmental Program Management Department has composted more than 20 million pounds of yard waste, enough to fill nearly four Olympic swimming pools, and is gearing up for another free compost giveaway for residents, ahead of the upcoming dry weather season.
In 2024, the department partnered with USCC member Veransa Group to divert yard waste from landfills and give it new purpose. During the past year, Veransa Group has received more than 20 million pounds of yard waste from local residents and converted it into nutrient-rich compost and mulch that it sells and distributes across the region.
OPPORTUNITIES, JOBS AND GRANTS
SCS Engineers is looking for a Mid-Level Solid Waste Engineer to manage and work on diverse solid waste projects.
In this role, you will help manage projects, develop proposals, and will also be directly involved with public and private clients in marketing, client management, and project production. Responsibilities include project management, business development, and staff development.
Project responsibility will have a primary focus on solid waste management, including landfill gas, landfills and landfill infrastructure, composting, and other projects, which may require design, engineering, permitting, construction, and/or operations support. You can be hybrid out of our San Diego office.
TOOLS & RESOURCES
On March 11, the Michigan Organics Council held their member meeting, where chapter member and Target Organics committee member Nicole Chardoul presented on the Target Organics Hub.
If you’re part of one of our state chapters or want to see more municipal food scrap composting in your community, visit the Target Organics Hub website to learn how to develop a local food scrap composting program every step of the way.
You can also use our marketing toolkit to promote this valuable resource.
Click the button below to visit the Hub.
CREF NEWS
CREF is excited to share that its first Compost Operations Training Course scheduled for 2025 has sold out. The COTC taking place this week in San Diego, CA, filled up a month in advance and quickly gained a long waitlist. The popularity of the training highlights the ongoing growth of the composting industry as many professionals look to launch or advance their careers through education.
The next COTC will take place in Lincoln, NE, June 2-6. If you’re considering attending this training, early signup is recommended to ensure space is available. More information is available here. The Nebraska COTC will be led by Jorge Montezuma, with support from Matt Cotton and other renowned industry leaders.
Later on, the annual Raleigh, NC, COTC will take place Sept. 8-12, and CREF is scheduling two additional trainings in late summer and late fall.
Click the button below to learn more about COTC.
With International Compost Awareness Week just around the corner, we’re excited to share the 2025 Social Media Toolkit, your go-to resource for spreading the word. The ICAW Committee and dedicated volunteers have created a ready-to-use, “plug and play” campaign to help you engage your audience effortlessly. Simply copy and paste posts into your Facebook and Instagram feeds, share them via email, or print materials for your ICAW events.
The CREF website offers more ways to participate, including event ideas, proclamations, and more. Help us make ICAW 2025 the most impactful yet!
Have questions? Contact us at icaw@compostfoundation.org.
Click the button below to access the toolkit.
Get ready to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week, May 4-10, 2025, with this year’s official ICAW poster, now available for purchase on the Compost Research & Education Foundation website.
Each year, a global contest determines the winning design, showcasing this year’s theme, "Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!" which highlights the essential role composting plays in building thriving, sustainable communities at every level.
Order your poster today and help spread the word about ICAW 2025.
Order a ten-poster pack here.
IN THE HEADLINESOlivia Cohen, The Gazette
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Feb. 24, 2025 — The Oaknoll Retirement Residence in Iowa City has seen promising returns from a new program created by their residents.
In 2023, former University of Iowa professor Sara Rynes-Weller co-founded the retirement community’s sustainability committee. Made up of 12 community residents and an outside supervisor, the committee has tackled projects ranging from boosting Oaknoll’s recycling program to implementing a composting program. In just three months after the composting program’s start on the main campus last October, roughly 11,000 pounds of organic material was diverted.
Click the button below to read the full story.
Bryanna Carroll, NBC Montana
BOZEMAN, Mont., Feb. 17, 2025 — The City of Bozeman, MT, will be partnering with USCC member Happy Trash Can Compost to launch a solid waste organics management program this year.
The program will include a year-round weekly collection service for residential compost, with the goal being to reduce the amount of material going to landfills and address environmental concerns such as the production of methane.
Sophia Buckley-Clement, The Rutland Herald
RUTLAND, Vt., Feb. 28, 2025 — Long Creek Resources, LLC, an environmental consulting firm, and the state of Vermont’s Solid Waste and Recycling Program have partnered to create a new initiative aimed at improving waste management practices in the state’s K-12 schools.
The School Compost and Recycling Action Plan Institute hosts selected schools for two immersive, day-long workshops in the summer to collaborate with experts and develop waste reduction and food waste management plans to integrate into the schools’ culture and curricula.
Upcoming Events
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