Promoting healthy soils in Florida. |
Professional Organizations and Regulatory Bodies
US Composting Council
The US Composting Council advances compost manufacturing, compost utilization, and organics recycling to benefit our members, society, and the environment.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection Composting Permitting
This program is involved with the recycling of organic solid wastes. The main focus is on the production and use of compost made from solid waste, and on source-separated organic processing facilities. Activities include rulemaking, providing technical assistance, implementation of organics recycling regulations, providing information on the environmental aspects of compost production and use, and processing the source-separated organics processing facility (i.e., yard trash processing, manure blending or vegetative waste/animal byproduct/manure composting) registration applications.
Florida Organics Recycling Center for Excellence
FORCE is Florida's Organics recycling effort involving the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and Public/Private Researchers.
Recycle Florida Today, Inc.
Recycle Florida Today, Inc. (RFT) is Florida’s state recycling organization and premier association representing recycling and environmental professionals throughout Florida from the public, private non-profit, and institutional sectors. RFT was formed to be a driving force to help Florida implement its recycling goals and objectives. RFT continues to provide educational and networking opportunities about recycling for all Floridians as well as support to local and state elected officials on laws and regulations affecting the recycling industry.
Resources
EPA Food Waste Guidelines - Sustainable Management of Food
Sustainable Management of Food is an approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, consumption, and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal.
EPA works to promote innovation and highlight the value and efficient management of food as a resource. Through the sustainable management of food, we can conserve resources for future generations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, help businesses and consumers save money, and provide access to food for those who do not have enough to eat. To build a circular economy for all, EPA seeks to highlight opportunities to use raw materials more efficiently, enable those resources to be used for their highest value, and recover valuable resources from discarded materials in ways that address climate change, are inclusive of all communities, address environmental justice concerns, and help spur new innovation and economic growth. Read more on the EPA website.
USDA Compost Guidelines
Composting is the process of recycling organic materials into an amendment that can be used to enrich soil and plants.USCC STA Certified Compost
The program – created in 2000 – is the culmination of research and discussion by many of the leading compost research scientists in the United States. Currently this is the only compost testing program available providing this. Joe Lamp’l from PBS’s Growing a Greener World explains why he values the program in this video.BPI Compostable Standards
BPI helps keep food scraps, yard trimmings, and the compostable packaging associated with them out of landfills by creating and maintaining composter confidence in the BPI-Certified products they choose to accept.
ASTM Compostable Standards
This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities. The properties in this specification are those required to determine if plastics and products made from plastics will compost satisfactorily, including biodegrading at a rate comparable to known compostable materials. The purpose of this specification is to establish standards for identifying products and materials that will compost satisfactorily in commercial and municipal composting facilities.
Compostable Field Testing Program
This specification covers plastics and products made from plastics that are designed to be composted in municipal and industrial aerobic composting facilities. The properties in this specification are those required to determine if plastics and products made from plastics will compost satisfactorily, including biodegrading at a rate comparable to known compostable materials. The purpose of this specification is to establish standards for identifying products and materials that will compost satisfactorily in commercial and municipal composting facilities.