RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts’ no-cost Compost Site Technical Assistance supports food material composting infrastructure in Massachusetts and helps to ensure well operated sites by providing consulting advice on best management practices.
Launch a new composting operation, including the acceptance of food materials.
Develop and implement on-site food material composting programs at businesses and institutions.
Implement operational improvements or expand an existing composting operation that already accepts food materials.
Transition from leaf and yard waste composting to also accepting food materials.
Composting experts contracted through RecyclingWorks MA provide technical assistance to facilities. Composting experts conduct 1-2 site visits, depending on the needs of the facility, and utilize an operational best management practices (BMP) checklist prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to assess each facility.
Every facility that receives full tiered technical assistance from a contracted composting expert will be given a written report that includes findings from the operational checklist, detailed observations, and analysis, and suggestions for how the facility can successfully begin a food waste composting operation or improve existing operations.
A composting expert completes the Operational Best Management Practices Checklist with the applicant. The composting expert will offer initial observations and recommendations as applicable. The composting expert may also propose tasks for Tier 2 assistance.
A composting expert provides more customized assistance to the applicant. This customized assistance may include support on recipe development, site layout and design, operational management plans, increasing processing capacity, and more.
RecyclingWorks MA may be able to offer a “discovery meeting” even if a site is not eligible for full tiered compost site technical assistance.
Sites need to be permitted through MassDEP or MDAR or in the process of obtaining a permit in order to receive RecyclingWorks MA assistance. On-site assistance is not suited for home composting.
The MassDEP Commercial, Institutional & Agricultural Composting & Organics webpage includes resources such as a list of active compost sites, sites accepting diverted food material, and a food waste composting fact sheet.
View ResourceBioCycle features 2,500 articles on composting, renewable energy, and organics recycling.
View ResourceThe US Composting Council advances compost manufacturing, compost utilization, and organics recycling and has resources for beginners and compost veterans.
View ResourceThis compost training guidebook from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality features many helpful sections including one on the material-specific advantages to various equipment types.
View ResourceExisting municipal yard trimmings composting operations represent an under-used potential to quickly increase the capacity to effectively process food scraps locally. COMMUNITY TOOLKIT: Adding Food Waste to a Yard Trimmings Compost Facility, published by the CET in partnership with BioCycle, can help municipalities determine how to employ this strategy in their community.
View ResourceThe 131° School of Composting offers a two-month online program focused on composting fundamentals and best management practices.
View ResourceThe Composting Association of Vermont’s website contains recorded webinars involving topics such as soil health, compost-based best management practices, and more.
View ResourceJames McSweeney’s Community Scale Composting Systems: A Comprehensive Practical Guide for Closing the Food System Loop and Solving Our Waste Crisis serves as a composting reference for developing and operating composting facilities. The main scope of the book is dedicated to compost system options and design, from basic sizing and layout to advanced techniques such as design of aerated static pile composting systems.
View ResourceRecyclingWorks MA also organizes workshops for compost site operators in Massachusetts. These half-day workshops are geared towards:
Check the event listings on our website to see if a workshop is currently scheduled. View Events
Workshop recordings:
RecyclingWorks MA organizes compost site operations management trainings for health officers in Massachusetts. Attendees receive an overview of MDAR and MassDEP regulations for compost sites as well as a training presentation on Best Management Practices for well-maintained compost sites from a composting expert contracted through RecyclingWorks MA. This training is designed to meet the requirements for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for registered sanitarians (RS), Certified Health Officers (CHO), and Registered Environmental Health Specialists (REHS) and attendees will receive a certificate of completion.
Check the event listings on our website to see if a workshop is currently scheduled.
Contact our team for free, customized assistance.
