Alexei Volkov
Plastic waste is a pressing issue, and composting is one way to tackle it. Many cities have implemented composting programs to reduce landfill waste and encourage proper waste disposal. These programs accept food waste, yard debris, and even some forms of compostable packaging. As of 2020, about 40% of the US population, or 131,132,443 people, across 1000 cities, had access to some kind of composting program. Some cities with notable composting programs include San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Boulder, New York, Iowa City, Ann Arbor, and more. These cities have implemented various initiatives, such as curbside pickup programs, recycling and composting ordinances, and community composting sites, to make it convenient for residents to participate in composting and divert waste from landfills.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cities with plastic composting facilities | San Francisco, Portland, New York City, Seattle, Los Angeles, and San Diego |
| Number of composting operations in the U.S. | 4,914 |
| Percentage of composting operations that compost only yard trimmings | 71% |
| Number of towns and cities with access to food waste curbside collection | 326 |
| Percentage of Americans with access to food waste curbside collection | <2% |
| Largest municipal composting program in the United States | New York City's "Zero Waste Act" |
| Number of organics collection programs in New York State | 46 |
| Year New York City began its efforts to roll out organics collection programs | 2016 |
| Year of large-scale composting program launch in Queens | 2022 |
| City with the first large-scale organics recycling and composting program | San Francisco |
| Year San Francisco implemented its composting program | 1996 |
| Year of San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance | 2009 |
| Year Seattle implemented an organic waste disposal ban | 2015 |
| Number of states with established policies mandating the diversion of residential food waste from disposal | 2 (California and Vermont) |
| City with official recognition of the benefits of a decentralized composting infrastructure | Austin |
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What You'll Learn
San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance
San Francisco has been working towards waste management and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for many years. The city's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, passed in 2009, was a significant step in this direction.
The ordinance requires all households and commercial properties in San Francisco to separate their waste into three streams: green bins for organic waste, blue bins for recycling, and black or grey bins for landfill trash. The green waste bins are collected and transferred to composting facilities, where the organic waste is turned into compost. This compost is then distributed to local orchards, vineyards, and farmers to be used as soil amendment.
The ordinance also provides guidelines for the proper disposal of e-waste, hazardous waste, and other toxic products, ensuring they do not end up in recycling or compost streams. Each property is required to communicate these source-separation requirements and provide resources to their residents annually. The San Francisco Environment Department strives to educate and assist residents in proper waste management.
The city takes non-compliance with the ordinance seriously, with fines of up to $100 for single-family homes and up to $1000 for large businesses in cases of failure to separate recyclables, compostables, and trash. The ordinance has had a positive impact on the city's waste diversion rates, with composting increasing by 45% and the city sending nearly 600 tons of food scraps, soiled paper, and yard trimmings to compost facilities daily.
San Francisco's efforts are part of a broader movement towards waste reduction and composting in cities across the United States, including Seattle, New York, and Austin. These cities have implemented various programs and policies to encourage composting and divert organic waste from landfills, contributing to environmental sustainability and local economic growth.
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New York City's Zero Waste Act
On June 8, 2023, the New York City Council passed a legislative package called the "Zero Waste Act" to advance the city's waste diversion and recycling efforts. The Act, which will come into force in 2024, mandates the separation and collection of organic waste for composting across all five boroughs. This makes New York City the largest municipal composting program in the United States, diverting up to 8 million pounds of organic waste from landfills daily.
The Zero Waste Act is a significant step towards environmental justice and sustainability for New York City. It addresses the over 11,000 tons of residential waste generated daily and aims to reduce landfill growth and greenhouse gas emissions. The Act includes a five-bill legislative package with the following key components:
- Mandatory residential curbside organics collection program: Residents must separate food scraps, yard waste, and organic waste for regular weekly curbside collection by the Department of Sanitation.
- Zero Waste targets for 2030: The Act sets a goal of zero divertible waste for New York City by 2030, with the Department of Sanitation required to report on their progress annually.
- Community food scrap drop-off sites: The Act establishes at least 30 organic waste drop-off sites citywide, with a minimum of three per borough.
- Community recycling centers: The Department of Sanitation is required to establish community recycling centers in each borough to collect materials that cannot be collected through regular curbside collection but can be recycled or reused.
- Public outreach and education: The City is mandated to conduct outreach to residents, building owners, and maintenance staff, and to provide educational materials on the separation of organic waste.
The Zero Waste Act positions New York City as a leader in zero-waste policies and reinforces the city's commitment to fighting climate change and creating a greener future for its residents. The Act is expected to increase access to composting and recycling sites, promote equity in waste diversion and recycling efforts, and support the local economy by creating green jobs.
New York City joins other US cities like San Francisco and Seattle that have successfully implemented mandatory composting programs, reducing waste and contributing to more sustainable waste management practices.
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Seattle's Zero Waste Resolution
Seattle has long been an international leader in solid waste management, with its residents committed to the goal of achieving zero waste. The city's 'Zero Waste Resolution' was established in 2007, with a focus on providing curbside organics collection and recycling services for both single and multi-family households. This was part of a three-year phase, and in 2009, all residential properties were required to participate in food and yard waste collection or backyard composting.
The resolution has been highly successful, with the residential per capita waste generation rate dropping from 2.74 pounds in 2007 to 2.23 pounds per person per day in 2017, an all-time low. The city-wide per capita disposal rate has also been steadily decreasing since 2000 and reached 0.81 pounds per person per day in 2017. Additionally, Seattle recycled 56.9% of its municipal solid waste in 2017.
The city's focus on waste reduction and composting has resulted in significant environmental benefits. Before the resolution, Seattle sent approximately 100,000 tons of food waste to a landfill site in eastern Oregon annually, a 300-mile journey that produced high costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Now, residents send around 125,000 tons of organic waste to composting facilities each year, which is then used as compost for local parks and gardens. This shift has not only reduced landfill waste but also the city's carbon footprint and transportation costs.
Seattle's success in waste management is due in part to its holistic approach, considering the entire life cycle of materials. The city aims to eliminate waste and toxins, prevent pollution, reduce carbon emissions, and conserve natural resources as early as possible in the production process. This involves encouraging residents to produce and use less, with a focus on waste prevention and sustainable practices. Seattle's commitment to environmental protection and conservation through the 'Zero Waste Resolution' has made it a leader in progressive policies and planning.
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Portland's composting program
Portland, Oregon, has a comprehensive composting program in place, serving both residential and commercial customers. The program is designed to divert food and yard waste from landfills, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
For homes, Portland's composting program accepts food waste, yard waste, food-soiled paper, and pizza boxes. Residents are provided with green roll carts with a 60-gallon capacity for their yard debris and food scraps collection. These carts are placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day for weekly pickup. This service helps keep Portland beautiful and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Businesses, on the other hand, are restricted to food waste only in their compost collection. They are required to use BPI-certified compostable bags and must not include items such as coffee cups, paper plates, takeout containers, straws, utensils, or any items labelled as "compostable," "biodegradable," or "made from plants." Businesses can also arrange for the collection of used cooking oil and animal rendering through independent processors.
Additionally, Portland's program encourages the growth of the compost movement and offers a volunteer program where individuals can get involved. This movement helps save money on trash removal, promotes composting, and reduces the amount of food waste that ends up in the trash. Portland's composting initiative is a step towards a more sustainable future, and it aligns with the goals of other leading cities in organic waste diversion, such as San Francisco, Seattle, and New York.
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Composting infrastructure in the U.S
San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, passed in 2009, requires households and commercial properties to separate their waste into three streams, including green bins for organics. As a result, around 90% of San Francisco's 350,000 households now have access to organic collection services. The city's efforts have successfully diverted a substantial amount of organic waste from landfills, with approximately 150,000 tons of organic waste collected annually.
Other cities have also made notable strides in composting infrastructure. Seattle, for instance, established its 'Zero Waste Resolution' in 2007, emphasising curbside organics collection and recycling services for all households. In 2015, Seattle implemented an organic waste disposal ban, diverting organic waste from landfills and instead sending it to composting facilities. New York City has demonstrated its commitment to composting with the recent passage of the "Zero Waste Act," mandating residents to containerize food scraps and yard waste for composting starting in 2024. This initiative is expected to divert up to 8 million pounds of organic waste from landfills daily.
Community composting has emerged as a vital aspect of the overall composting infrastructure in the U.S. These sites are typically located at schools, farms, community gardens, parks, and other public lands. Community composting offers flexibility, adapting to the specific needs and resources of each community. It fills gaps in access and infrastructure while providing environmental, economic, and social benefits. Additionally, it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by minimising the distance required to transport materials and distribute compost.
Despite the progress made, challenges remain in establishing and expanding composting infrastructure. Adequate funding through grants and loans is often lacking, and some states have reduced the number of full-time employees dedicated to composting initiatives. However, there is a growing recognition of the benefits of decentralised composting infrastructure, as seen in the City of Austin. With the increasing demand for compostable packaging and the rise of community-scale composting, pressure is mounting on cities, states, and the federal government to enhance composting programs and provide necessary funding.
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Frequently asked questions
Many cities in the US have composting facilities that process plastic, food waste, and/or yard trimmings. These include:
- San Francisco, California
- Portland, Oregon
- Salem, Oregon
- Boulder, Colorado
- Los Angeles, California
- Seattle, Washington
- New York City, New York
Sevier Solid Waste Inc. is the nation's largest mixed-composting facility, processing waste from Sevier County, Tennessee, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Community composting can be implemented anywhere with access to land, resources, people, and supportive rules and policies. It is flexible and can adapt to a community's needs and resources, such as space, volume of organic materials, and local sustainability goals. It also keeps the benefits of composting within the community, reducing greenhouse gas emissions produced from long-distance hauling and distributing compost.
San Francisco has successfully diverted residential organic waste from landfills since 1996 through its Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance, which requires households and commercial properties to separate waste into three streams. Seattle also implemented an organic waste disposal ban in 2015, which resulted in residents sending more organic waste to composting facilities instead of landfill sites.
One challenge is the lack of funding via grants and loans to help establish or expand composting infrastructure. Additionally, many states have reduced the number of full-time employees dedicated to composting, and there is a need for more organics processing capacity in the US.
