Sixty-two (62) stakeholders, including NGOs, composters, and certified compostable packaging manufacturers and users, call for action on H.R. 4443/S. 2388, the Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion of Sustainable Techniques Act of 2021 (the COMPOST Act). In a letter sent to both the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees on October 27, supporters site insufficient access to composting programs across the country despite growing demand to compost food scraps and for certified compostable packaging. The letter underscores how the COMPOST Act would help address this infrastructure gap and support the essential transition to a circular economy.

“It is critical that lawmakers take action to address the lack of access to sustainable waste infrastructure across the country,” said Jessica Bowman, Executive Director of the Plant Based Products Council. “The COMPOST Act offers a means to increase investments in composting infrastructure that can provide thousands of high-quality jobs, particularly in underserved rural and urban communities, along with advancing a climate solution that helps avoid landfill methane emissions and improves soil health.”

The COMPOST Act would create new USDA grant and loan guarantee programs for composting infrastructure projects, including both large-scale composting facilities as well as farm, home, or community-based projects. The bill would also promote composting as a conservation practice by farmers.

PBPC is a member of the U.S. Composting Infrastructure Coalition, which works to support innovative and responsible waste reduction and recovery solutions like composting. You can view the full Senate letter here and the full House letter here.

For more information, visit https://pbpc.com/.
Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash

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