Mar 20 - CRRA Policy Workshop Targets ADC to reduce GHG Emissions

Mar 20 - CRRA Policy Workshop Targets ADC to reduce GHG Emissions The Consensus: ADC is Major Barrier to Compost Infrastructure

The title of yesterday's CRRA Policy Workshop was "Reducing Greenhouse Gases Through Composting Organics." A host of speakers, including myself, covered a range of topics including GHG reductions through composting, barriers to composting, AB 32 policy and processes, and the CA organics infrastructure. An overwhelming emphasis was placed on ADC as a barrier to expanding composting in California.

Banning ADC is nothing new of course, as ADC has long been identified as a barrier to organics recycling. The question remains, what to do about it?

Despite a sustained effort, environmental groups including CAW have been unsuccessful in moving anti-ADC legislation. For the last two years we have been unable to move modest legislation to slowly phase out the diversion credit for greenwaste ADC, let alone get an ADC ban passed.

As we try to increase composting in California for all the benefits it bestows upon us, we have to focus doing what is practical that moves us in the right direction. Where should we focus? The following three steps are critical and will lay the groundwork for expanding composting in California:

1. The CIMWB simply must reconsider its position on ADC. The CIWMB’s failure to identify ADC as a major barrier to recycling organics in the state is perhaps one of its greatest failures. The CIWMB simply must abandon its business as usual attitude toward ADC and become a champion for the eventual phase out of diversion credit for ADC.

2. The numerous other barriers to composting, including local permitting, Air District Rules, and Water Board Permits must be organized so resources can be developed to deliver coordinated responses

3. Finally, Composting needs increased market development. This includes a comprehensive itemization of the economic and environmental co-benefits of composting, the development of the idea of composting as a mitigation measure for air (GHG and other) and water pollution to be included as BMPs in agricultural and industrial practices, product development in terms of specifications for the widest possible array of applications, and finally, a true marketing campaign appropriate for the product and application.

Anybody ready?