A new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s Composting Makes $en$e Project documents the importance of expanded composting and compost use to enhance soils, protect watersheds, reduce waste, and create green jobs and a new made-in-America industrial sector.
Building Healthy Soils with Compost to Protect Watersheds
This 12-page report highlights the importance of organic matter to healthy soils, and links healthy soils in turn to a healthier watershed. It makes the case that amending soil with compost is the best way to increase the level of organic matter. This report identifies watershed problems, the benefits of compost-amended soils, model initiatives and policies, frequently asked questions, and resources for more information.
For full report, click here.
If you’d like more information, you can also read our other report: Pay Dirt: Composting in Maryland to Reduce Waste, Create Jobs, & Protect the Bay
This 47-page report summarizes the current composting infrastructure in the state of Maryland, compares the number of jobs sustained through composting versus disposal facilities, outlines the benefits of expanding composting and compost use, underscores the importance of a diverse composting infrastructure, and suggests policies to overcome obstacles to expansion. One key finding is that 1,400 new full-time jobs could potentially be supported by converting the 1 million tons of yard trim and food scraps now disposed in Maryland into compost and using that compost locally in green infrastructure and low-impact development.
For full report, click here.
For Executive Summary, click here.
For Key Findings, click here.
For List of Benefits of Composting & Compost Use, click here.
For Job Potential Summary Tables, click here.
For press release, click here.
Pay Dirt and Building Healthy Soils with Compost to Protect Watersheds were produced by ILSR’s Composting Makes $en$e Project under funding support from the Town Creek Foundation and from the University of the District of Columbia’s Water Resources Research Institute.
