​Composter Innovator Program

Calling all U.S. composters to help shape the future of the compost industry!

The Composting Consortium has spent one and a half years partnering with composters to gather data on contamination, labeling and compostable packaging disintegration. Our data-based approach aims to support the scale up of food waste composting infrastructure in the U.S.

The Composting Consortium’s Composter Innovator Program, launched in summer 2024, brings U.S. composters to the table to play an active role in shaping the future of the compost industry on topics like contamination, policy, financing and scaling food waste composting infrastructure.

This collaboration elevates the voice of composters and brings consolidated industry recommendations to the desks of policymakers, regulatory agencies, compostable packaging manufacturers and brands. Our work aims to help inform critical policy and business decisions related to innovation and funding for the composting industry.

 

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Who can join?Why join?Submit your interest!FAQ

Which composters can join?​

Full-scale food waste composters and yard waste composters looking to incorporate food waste across the U.S. can join! Program participation is flexible and open to all interested composters, regardless of feedstock acceptance. The Composting Consortium’s network is diverse, and we aim to include commercial facilities varying in size, capacity, region, technologies and composting methods.​

The program will run from fall 2024 to summer 2026. Composters can expect to dedicate up to 10-20 hours of their time each calendar year.​

Why should composters join?​

The Composter Innovator Program incorporates composters’ perspectives as we work to educate policymakers, regulators and investors on composting and identify ways to scale composting infrastructure

The first effort from this program will be a collaborative data analysis with composters to identify the cost of processing compostable packaging. We will then use this data to offer recommendations on how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funds can support composting infrastructure in-line with EPR plan objectives.​

Submit your interest in the program!

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about the program below.

  • What will we accomplish together in the next two years?​

    The Composting Consortium is focused on accomplishing three main goals.

    First, we will conduct a collaborative data analysis with composters to identify the cost of processing compostable packaging. We will then use this data to offer recommendations on how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) funds can support composting infrastructure in-line with EPR plan objectives.​

    Second, we will support yard waste facilities who wish to retrofit their operations to accept more complex feedstocks, specifically food waste and compostable packaging.​

    Third, we will crowd-source solutions to solve for composters’ greatest challenge: contamination.

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  • Is this a paid engagement?

    This is a voluntary engagement, composters can expect to dedicate up to 10-20 hours of their time per calendar year.

    The Composting Consortium does not offer funding to composters, as we are primarily focused on research and innovation.

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  • What type of data will be collected?

    The Composting Consortium will work with composters to collect operational and processing data specific to their facilities.

    All data will be anonymized and aggregated to ensure privacy. 

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  • Does this program involve other compost organizations?

    This program is organized and led by the Composting Consortium.

    The Composting Consortium will connect with industry stakeholders to vet the analysis, conclusions and recommendations from this program before findings are released to the public.

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Our Work to Support Composters