The food waste crisis continues to spoil progress for communities across the United States. The current burn-and-bury paradigm emits harmful pollutants, perpetuates environmental injustice, and consolidates corporate monopoly power. As local governments face dwindling landfill space and tightening budgets, local composting emerges as one sustainable alternative to the damaging status quo. While composting is gaining momentum as a powerful solution with cross-sectoral benefits, policy and contracting tend to favor large operations, limiting the potential of a diverse, distributed system.
Local governments are uniquely positioned to manage resources and foster composting in ways that work for community members, local governments, and the planet. They have the power to pass ordinances, enter into procurement agreements, provide services, grant access to land, raise revenue, and more. ILSR’s report — Keep Compost Local: A Roadmap for Local Governments to Build Community Prosperity with Composting — offers guidance for municipalities and counties to support and partner with local composting initiatives to meet key community priorities while bringing myriad economic and cross-sectoral benefits.
The report draws largely on research from 17 case studies of model local composting programs from across the country, 15 of which feature public-private partnerships between local governments and local composters. Results from our 2024 “census” survey of community composters also detail consistent and emerging trends from this subsector of the industry. Along with an introduction and background, the report includes sections on the economic case for local composting, how to keep compost local, 12 steps for local governments to get started, and policy recommendations. Appendix A includes the 17 full-length case studies, and Appendix B features the 2024 community composter mini-census results.
12 Steps for Government to Advance Local Composting
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Check out ILSR’s webinar, Keep Compost Local: A Roadmap for Public-Private Partnerships, to hear lessons learned and tips for replication from three of the public-private partnerships featured in the report.
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Source: J. Spector, N. Goldstein, B. Platt, S. Jones, Keep Compost Local: A Roadmap for Local Government to Build Community Prosperity with Composting, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, 2026 (https://ilsr.org/articles/composting-for-community/keep-compost-local-report). Reprinted with permission.
Nora Goldstein, Editor of Biocycle and co-author of the reportKeep Compost Local confirms that tapping local composters’ food scraps collection and composting capacities enables local governments to hit the ground running at a significantly lower cost — and a higher likelihood of success — than if they were to initiate food scraps collection programs themselves.
Local composting brings myriad economic benefits that address local government priorities, such as avoided disposal costs and cost savings across multiple sectors. Supporting local composting is a fiscally responsible approach for municipalities to manage organics, set up systems for long-term sustainability, and stimulate local economies. Local composting supports local green jobs, local businesses, workforce development, job training, farm prosperity, and green markets. By diverting organics and investing in local composting, local governments can expand infrastructure and foster a circular alternative that turns a wasted resource into local wealth.
Public-private partnerships (PPPs) with local composters offer massive potential to scale up impact. Local composters have championed local food scraps collection and composting and are uniquely positioned within the community to serve as program partners. In each of the 15 case studies covering PPPs, the existing community composter was the key to making residential and commercial food scrap collection and composting — whether as a pilot or a program expansion — a reality.
Community composters are growing, impactful, and resilient. Local governments can tap into existing infrastructure, expertise, and credibility through support and partnerships, and may access new funding sources. Supporting local businesses, non-profit organizations, cooperatives, and community efforts not only builds municipal programming but also supports mission-driven organizations that provide many additional benefits to local communities, often unrecognized and uncompensated.
Numerous opportunities exist for governments to support and advance local composting. One of the biggest barriers to the growth of local composting is the cost of expanding and scaling up. Providing financial support and contracting are among the most impactful strategies. But there are also many low- and no-cost choices such as bartering, policy changes, in-kind donations, and access to public land. Taking action at whatever level is possible will cultivate shared responsibility, trust, and citizen engagement, resulting in more effective and sustainable outcomes.
Policy directly shapes the local composting landscape. Laws, regulations, contracting, and procurement can either uplift or significantly hinder the ability of local composting programs to operate, scale up, and successfully divert organics from landfills or incinerators. By passing laws, evaluating and updating regulations, and incorporating local composting into municipal and county plans, local governments can address regulatory barriers, adopt supportive policies, and encourage local investment. Local governments can update policies related to zoning, permitting, disposal surcharges, diversion, right to compost, and more. Policies for procurement and incentivizing compost use are also critical to market development.
Emily Szramowski, Sustainability Manager, Circular Economy, Mayor's Office of Sustainability, City of Cleveland, OHPublic-private partnerships are critical for helping cities like Cleveland reduce costs while advancing environmental goals and outcomes.
Ella Kilpatrick Kotner, Director of Compost Programs, Groundwork RIThis report highlights the power and impact that community composters have, and how they can be amplified through partnerships with local governments. These success stories that put community-based programs at the center serve as critical models as an increasing number of municipalities begin implementing composting programs.
A snapshot of the operations, diversion, community impacts, finances, government partnerships, and contamination rates of this distinct and often underrepresented slice of the composting sector.
A webinar featuring lessons learned and tips for replication from community-oriented composters in partnership with local governments.
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