{"id":19089,"date":"2021-08-02T16:41:09","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T20:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/?post_type=article&p=19089"},"modified":"2026-03-26T15:09:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T19:09:03","slug":"oregon-2","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/es\/article\/composting-for-community\/oregon-2","title":{"rendered":"Oregon \u2013 Composting Rules"},"template":"","class_list":["post-19089","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_type-state-policy","initiatives-composting-for-community","topics-on-farm-composting","topics-permitting","impact_areas-food-security","authors-brenda-platt"],"acf":{"details":{"featured_image":"","background_color":"tan","article_type":[36],"initiative":15,"display_event_fields":false,"start_date":null,"end_date":null,"start_time":null,"end_time":null,"time_zone":"America\/New_York","virtual_event":false,"location":"","topics":[99,101],"impact_areas":[18],"abstract":"Oregon\u2019s composting regulations aim to facilitate composting while preventing public nuisance issues and any adverse environmental consequences from materials mismanagement. Described here are Oregon\u2019s conditional exemptions for small-scale and agricultural compost facilities, specific site requirements needed to receive an operating permit, and ongoing performance standards for facilities to maintain.","authors_tax":[601]},"sidebar":{"title":"\u00cdndice"},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"Oregon\u2019s composting regulations aim to facilitate composting while preventing public nuisance issues and any adverse environmental consequences from materials mismanagement.\u00a0Described below are Oregon\u2019s conditional exemptions for small-scale and agricultural compost facilities, specific site requirements needed to receive an operating permit, and ongoing performance standards for facilities to maintain.\r\n

Oregon Composting Regulations<\/h3>\r\nThe Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)<\/a>\u00a0revised its composting regulations, in 2009 and again in 2019, in order to facilitate composting and limit negative environmental consequences of poorly operated compost facilities. The\u00a0Oregon DEQ states that composting helps achieve several state goals including: preventing the release of methane (a potent greenhouse gas emitted from anaerobic decomposition in landfills), improving soil fertility, and contributing to the state\u2019s goal of\u00a0reducing food waste by 50 percent by 2030<\/a>.\r\n\r\nChanges to Oregon\u2019s rules expand the variety of feedstocks deemed acceptable for agricultural composters to use, but require agricultural composters be held to the same performance standards as all other types of operations. The changes also \u201cgive operators the responsibility and flexibility to design, construct, and manage their operations \u2013 subject to DEQ approval \u2013 to meet the performance standards.\u201d\r\n\r\nIn order to collect stakeholder input prior to the rules revision, the DEQ consulted members of the commercial refuse and recycling industry, the Composting Council of Oregon, agricultural composters, and regional governments. The DEQ also met with the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon State University Extension Service. In addition, the DEQ convened a workshop for agricultural composters.\r\n

Composting Permit and Exemptions<\/h3>\r\nOregon requires most compost facilities to apply for a permit from the Department of Environmental Quality. However, in order to facilitate increased composting, Oregon conditionally allows some operations to compost small quantities of certain materials without a permit. In general,\u00a0facilities processing\u00a0under 100 tons of feedstock per year are exempt from screening and permitting. These conditional exemptions from the permit requirement can be revoked if specific performance standards are not met.\r\n\r\nThe Oregon Department of Environmental Quality\u2019s sitio web<\/a>\u00a0states:\u00a0\u201cDEQ supports and encourages composting. At the same time, DEQ is aware that, if not conducted in the proper manner, or if conducted at an improper location, composting presents potential environmental problems, most notably to surface water and groundwater.\u201d\u00a0Hence, Oregon\u2019s regulations, as amended in 2009, are tailored to both facilitate beneficial small-scale compositing and protect the environment.\r\n\r\nAccording to Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 340-096-0060<\/a>, Oregon allows the following conditional exemptions of facilities from obtaining a permit:\r\n