Welcome to our new resource center for materials to assist in advocating for compost-friendly policies.
The Institute for Local Self Reliance maintains an EXCELLENT collection of local and state rules that support the development of a robust composting infrastructure. CLICK HERE to open that collection.
Climate ChangePersistent Herbicide Fight
PFAS (PolyFluoroAlkyl Substances)
Policy--National
Policy--State and Local
Preserving Landfill Bans
Presentation By Dr. Stuart Buckner to the Recycling Organizations of North America on the positive impacts of banning yard trimmings
This two-page summary explains why the US Composting Council is firmly opposed to landfilling yard trimmings, food residuals and other source-separated organics when viable alternatives are available.
Report from the Delaware Solid Waste Management Authority on the impact of yard trimming bans, which concludes that “states or counties with landfill bans receive significantly less yard waste [at their landfills] on a
per capita basis then those without bans.”
This is a great presentation developed by JD Lindeberg of Resource Recycling that debunks the claims made by the waste industry on the alleged benefits of repealing the ban on landfilling in Michigan. For a PDF version use the download link. For a Powerpoint version click here.
Letters from two different EPA regions demonstrates that the US EPA supports the continuation of landfill bans for yard debris and sees them as essential to ensuring that these resources continue to find their way into reuse markets, such as composting.
This report documents the link between climate change and unsustainable patterns of consumption and wasting, dispels myths about the climate benefits of landfill gas recovery and waste incineration, outlines policies needed to effect change, and offers a roadmap for how to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within a short period. Stop Trashing the Climate provides compelling evidence that preventing waste and expanding reuse, recycling, and composting programs — that is, aiming for zero waste — is one of the fastest, cheapest, and most effective strategies available for combating climate change. The report was authored by Brenda Platt, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, David Ciplet, Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance/Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, and Kate M. Bailey and Eric Lombardi, Eco-Cycle. Click HERE to visit the Stop Trashing the Climate website.
The report prepared by CM Consulting for the Region of Niagara, Canada, provides the ‘true costs’ or ‘full cost accounting’ associated with the environmental and human health impacts of composting, landfill and energy from waste (EFW) for 47,178 tonnes of organic waste projected to be managed in the Region. The results show that in the case of the Region of Niagara, the ‘True Costs’ associated with managing organics are $(15.76) and $32.18 per tonne for composting leaf, yard and brush waste, and food waste respectively, $75.14 per tonne for landfill with gas flaring, 49.37 per tonne for landfill with gas recovery for electricity generation, and from $62.72 – $142.72 per tonne for EFW.
Though ultimately overridden, this documents the successful drive to have Gov. Crist veto the landfill ban repeal.
Biocycle puts the landfill energy myth to bed
This paper for JD Lindeberg and Mike Csapo explain why MI 864 is bad for the economy and the environment. NOTE: This document is placed for the convenience of our members. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the USCC or our sponsors.