Advocacy Resource Materials

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 Change
Persistent Herbicide Fight
PFAS (PolyFluoroAlkyl Substances)
Policy--National
Policy--State and Local
Preserving Landfill Bans


Letter to St. Lucie County Florida objecting to restrictive zoning ordinance

St. Lucie County has proposed a zoning ordinance for commercial composting that is so restrictive that it will essentially prohibit any commercial composting facilities from being built.  USCC submitted this letter in support of the Organics Recycling Committee of Recycle Florida Today.


USCC Comments of Proposed Changes to CA Compost Regs

As the national organization representing a wide range of composters we focused our comments on a few areas that have a potential for setting precedents that may be copied by other states.

  • Physical Contamination Limits in Compost:  One of the guiding principles of the USCC is that product quality can only be defined in relation to its intended use. So it should be the purchasers and users of the products—the marketplace—that should set the product quality standards beyond minimum health and safety standards
  • Food Scraps to Dairy Loophole: We are opposed to allowing dairies to take off-farm food scraps for digestion under a simple “notification” tier.
  • Regulating Direct Land Application: We support increased regulation of this practice to protect not only markets for compost but even more so for reducing the threat of spreading imported pests

USCC Comments on Draft Nutrient Management Regulations in Massachusetts

The US Composting Council reviewed draft regulations put forth by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources titled “Plant Nutrient Application Requirements for Agricultural Land and Land Not Used for Agricultural Purposes.” Comments touched on a number of areas starting with definitions for terms such as ‘biosolids,’ ‘compost,’ and ‘fertilizer.’ Council staff will continue to follow the progress of these draft regulations and encourage  conditions that are based on scientific best management practices and improve markets for compost products.


USCC Supports and Comments on Rhode Island Food Residual Disposal Legislation

USCC submitted letters of support and comments to the State of Rhode Island General Assembly regarding H7033 (S2315) and H7482 (S2436), two bills that would require large generators of food residuals to recycle those residuals.  This legislation mandates producers of food residuals to 1) source-separate food residuals from other solid waste for recycling; and 2) recycle or treat food residuals on-site or send their organic waste to a recycling facility.


Comment letter on Minnesota Rules Chapters 7001 and 7035
USCC support Minnesota’s leadership  in the compost manufacturing industry, and suggest improvements to the proposed rules in the following areas:

  • The reinstatement of three soil types to the list of “eligible soil types” that are acceptable as part of the five foot of separation from the zone of continuous ground water saturation.
  • Allow residual that has gone through the PFRP to be stored off pad until reincorporated into the composting process.

Letter in Support of IA SF 306

The U.S. Composting Council is strongly in favor of SF-306 and the emphasis it puts on
recovering, reusing, and recycling organics, particularly food scraps.
This bill will not only reduce production of harmful methane gas at landfills in Iowa, it
will also increase awareness of organics recycling in Iowa.


MA Press Release: Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Industry Poised to Expand in Massachusetts
A consortium of industry associations announced today its support for the ban on the disposing of organic materials as proposed by the Massachusetts Department of Environment Protection (Mass DEP) on July 10, noting that this compelling policy will help the Commonwealth to achieve significant environmental, economic and social goals. Called FOOD (Focus on Organics Diversion), the consortium formed by the American Biogas Council, the US Composting Council, and MassRecycle together represent dozens of companies and local agencies already playing significant roles in the growth of alternatives to the disposal of organic resources such as yard debris and food scraps.

Letter in Opposition of OR SB 462

USCC opposes SB 462’s 1500′ exclusion zone for composting facilities around schools on a property-line-to-property-line basis, and more more generally on reversing DEQ’s progressive performance-based permitting to prescriptive legislation.


Letter in support of CT RB 1116

The US Composting Council wholeheartedly supports Raised Bill 1116, An Act Concerning The Recycling Of Organic Materials By Certain Food Wholesalers, Manufacturers, Supermarkets And Conference Centers.


Support for CT SB 1081

Email to Composting Council Members and Allies that are in or do business in Connecticut:
HELP IMPROVE FOOD SCRAP SEPARATION AND COLLECTION!  Take action NOW!

In 2011 Connecticut legislature enacted PA 11-217 to start pushing source-separated organics from groceries and other major generators towards composting and anaerobic digestion.  This new bill was introduced to address several of the shortcomings in that legislation.


Comment letter on CA Title 14 changes

We support the overall intent of the package of changes, and suggest improvements to:

  • Definition of Food Materials.
  • Regulatory placement of food materials and vegetative food scraps.
  • End Product Quality
  • Defining “Digestate”
  • One percent limitation on incoming feedstock contamination
  • use of TMECC standards

Support letter for CA AB 323 (Chesbro)

AB 323 presents a package of policies that will drive the recycling of yard trimmings and food scraps, not only
resulting in a reduction of pollution and greenhouse gases, but also creating jobs and supporting a
burgeoning clean tech industry.