Composting Council, Biogas Council Join Efforts on Organics Recycling

The U.S. Composting Council and the American Biogas Council are joining forces to help push the growth of organics recycling.

The two groups signed a memorandum of understanding toward that end, according to a joint news release. The Bethesda, Md.-based Composting Council and the Washington-based Biogas Council together represent more than 900 organizations.

“Organic material is a valuable resource and should be treated as such,” said Michael Virga, executive director of the Composting Council. “Federal, state and local policy should reflect this fact and facilitate the handling of organic material according to its highest and best use.”

Organics recycling improves soil health, reduces water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, stimulates plant growth and employs more people per ton of material than does landfill disposal or incineration, the associations said.

“We can create thousands of U.S. projects and jobs if as a society, we all get smarter about how to use our food residuals, yard clippings, wastewater sludge and all the organic material we put in the trash each day,” said Patrick Serfasss, executive director of the Biogas Council. “Three steps will get us there: educating leaders and citizens about biogas system and composting benefits, leveling the playing field with smart policies and removing unnecessary barriers to project development.”