Organic Materials Recycled and Disposed

This indicator measures the amount of organic materials that are recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted from disposal, as well as those that are disposed of in the waste stream. It tracks progress on our Beyond Waste goal of diverting organic materials from the landfill, putting them to work in the most beneficial ways possible.

Organic materials include:

Yard debris

Food scraps from homes, businesses, and food processors

Wood from construction and demolition

Agricultural and land-clearing/forestry wastes

Manures and more

These materials make up more than 30 percent of all disposed wastes. Most of these materials could be converted to compost, mulch, new building products such as composite lumber, or energy and alternative fuels.

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Organic Materials Recycled, Diverted, and Disposed Data

On the whole, the amount of organic materials composted, land applied, burned for energy, turned into mulch, and otherwise diverted from disposal has increased steadily since 1992. Currently we are capturing more organic material for use in composting and recycling programs than we are disposing in landfills.

The amount of organic material recycled declined from 2006 to 2008, partially due to weaker demands for hog fuel (wood burned for energy). The amount of organic material recycled increased again in 2009. The amount of organic material disposed is still increasing, however at a slower rate. Note: The baseline for calculating the amount of organic material disposed in landfills changed in 2008 with the completion of the 2009 Washington Statewide Waste Characterization Study.

This indicator has an approximately a two-year time lag due to the time involved in gathering, compiling, and analyzing data; informing stakeholders, and producing the Progress Report. The availability of current waste characterization data is also a factor.

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Organic Materials Recycled, Diverted, and Disposed Data

An alternate look for this indicator is organic materials recycled, diverted and disposed per capita (pounds per person per year). It provides a perspective on the amount or organic materials we discard per person every year in Washington.

Besides what each person puts in their trash at home or at work, there are other organic wastes associated with the goods and services we all consume, such as land-clearing debris from construction sites, mill shavings, and agricultural wastes. Those discarded organic materials also affect the environment, energy, economy, and greenhouse gases, and should be tracked and shown as part of each person's impact. Those wastes factor into the amount of organic materials recycled, diverted, and disposed shown above.

The trends for the overall and per capita amount of organic materials recycled and diverted are very similar. However the trend line for the overall amount of organic materials disposed is much steeper than the trend for the per capita amount of organic materials disposed. This is because the amount of organic material that each person is responsible for sending to landfills and incinerators is staying even. The population growth is responsible for the greater amount of organic material that is disposed since the amount disposed per person stayed relatively flat.

Why should we be concerned about how much organic material is recycled or diverted from disposal?

Throwing organic materials in landfills wastes valuable resources, takes up expensive landfill space, and leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Turning organic materials into new products such as compost, mulch, and energy creates "green jobs" and sources of revenue, and creates alternatives to toxic products.

What are the benefits of reusing, recycling, and diverting more organic materials?

Builds healthy soils.
Reduces the need to use pesticides and fertilizers.
Creates energy.
Conserves water.
Saves fossil fuels.
Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Creates jobs.

What are some Beyond Waste actions being taken to increase reuse, recycling, and diversion of organic materials in Washington?

Ecology and other organizations are:

Expanding composting programs statewide.
Developing new uses and markets for organic materials.
Improving technologies to process organic materials.
Promoting recovery of organics from state agencies and schools.

Want more information on Organics Recycling in Washington?

Organic Materials Management
Beyond Waste Plan - Increase Organic Recycling
Washington Organics Recycling Council
Washington State University (WSU) Organic Farm
Check with your local solid waste office for composting programs available in your area.

For more information, contact Gretchen Newman, 360-407-6097.

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Case Study:

Electricity, Fuels and Fertilizers…
Oh MY!

Anaerobic digestion helps release the electricity, fuels, and fertilizers trapped in discarded organic materials. Cow manure, food wastes, and lawn clippings can be combined in anaerobic digesters where they break down in the absence of oxygen. This process produces biogas (primarily methane), which can be run through a generator to produce electricity, or can be cleaned and compressed and used as fuel.

In addition to transforming potential wastes into energy and fuel, anaerobic digesters produce products such as plant nutrients, and they help reduce odors in the surrounding area.

Today, there are six digesters in Washington associated with dairies, processing manure and pre-consumer food waste. Anaerobic digesters are turning organic wastes into valuable resources.

Anaerobic Digestion

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