Policy Tools for Capacity Building

  • Jul 5, 2016
  • Brenda Platt
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  • Policy Topic
  • Composting for Community
  • Infrastructure
  • Planning and Zoning
  • Climate and Environmental Justice
  • Food Security
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    The Composting for Community Initiative seeks to encourage a composting infrastructure that is locally distributed and possesses a diversity of scales, feedstock materials, and end-uses for compost products. For more information, see ILSR’s report on “The State of Composting in the US” for a national snapshot of composting policy and models to replicate.

     

    Model Policies

     

    California – Inter-Agency Cooperation

    As of 2018, the state of California reported a 65 percent diversion rate for all materials and more than 140,000 green jobs in its recycling sector. This success is attributable to California’s 1989 Integrated Waste Management Act and the state’s more recent efforts to increase organics recycling through the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), a state agency that coordinates the state’s multiple waste and recycling management programs.… Read More

    California – Local Infrastructure Planning

    In order to address the 15 million tons of compostable organics still being landfilled, in 2014 the state legislature passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1829 for mandatory commercial organics recycling, as well as four other recycling bills in 2015. These laws sought to further increase the state’s organic waste diversion infrastructure by both incentivizing businesses and mandating state agencies to create mutually shared regulations and goals for organic waste recycling. … Read More

    California – Tax Exemptions

     Approval of Assembly Bill 199 expanded the number of projects eligible for sales and use tax exemption under the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA). CAEATFA is an entity whose primary concern is cutting greenhouse gas emissions as part of California’s promotion of environmental health and economic development via the expansion of an alternative energy economy through market mechanisms. … Read More

    Durango, Colorado – Compost and Collection Capacity Building

    In 2025, the City of Durango adopted Resolution R-2025-0004, which directed the city manager to execute pilot organic waste management programs, conduct research on ordinances in other communities, and form a citizen focus group on local organic waste management. … Read More

    Maryland – On-Farm Organics Diversion and Recycling Grants

    In 2026, the Maryland Legislature passed HB 429/SB 599 “On-Farm Organics Diversion and Recycling Grant Program,” establishing an annual grant program for on–farm organics recycling and compost use, wasted food prevention, and food rescue. … Read More