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Recommendation ORG 2 — Increase residential and commercial organics recovery programs.

Expand and increase organics recovery programs in residential and commercial sectors, recognizing that capacity for processing organics needs to grow with increased recovery, and opportunities differ between rural and urban areas of the state. Needed actions include:

• Incorporate Organics Materials Initiative goals into local-jurisdiction solid waste management plans.
• Assess yard debris and food scrap recycling infrastructure in large municipalities.
• Align the diverse interests of stakeholders to create a beneficial use hierarchy for recycled organic materials. Maintain core values of reducing, reusing and recycling materials.
• Provide “tools” (such as education materials and technical assistance) to coordinators of home compost programs.
• Identify incentives for local governments to increase organics collection and processing capacity.
• Promote the purchase of recycled organic products through “healthy soil” education, to create stable markets for recycled organics.
• Remove regulatory barriers to promote increased organics processing capacity.
• Support new processing technologies that provide a variety of organics recycling opportunities.
• Expand or implement home composting programs in every county.
• Work with local haulers and transfer stations to provide organics collection and diversion options.
• Advertise success of model residential and commercial organics recovery projects.

Milestone ORG B: Effective incentives for organics recycling are identified and pursued.

Milestone ORG C: Home composting programs are active and successful in every county.

Milestone ORG E: Most people (government, business, and the public) understand the benefits of healthy soils.

Milestone ORG F: Statutory and regulatory barriers to closed-loop organics recycling are addressed.

Milestone ORG G: A beneficial use hierarchy is created for residual organic material processing and uses.

Milestone ORG H: Soil carbon sequestration, using recycled organic materials, has increased based on research recommendations.

Milestone ORG I: Technical assistance, research, and/or capital expense funds support the development of at least two biomass-to-energy and biomass-to-fuel and co-products "organic refinery" projects.

Milestone ORG K: Statewide residential and commercial recycling of organics is standard practice, supported by efficient collection and increased infrastructure. Large municipalities offer food waste collection programs to residential and commercial customers.

Links and Resources

• Home Composting
• Example of Organics Section from a Solid Waste Management Plan
• Local Solid and Hazardous Waste Planning
• Sierra Heights Elementary School Vermicomposter Project
• Grants and Financial Assistance
• Solid Waste Laws and Regulations
• Managing Food Scraps at Institutions and Agencies
• Solid Waste Information Clearinghouse (Exit Ecology)

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