Policy Brief: The opportunities and shortcomings of the District of Columbia’s composting governance and stewardship

The purpose of this policy brief is to inform on the current composting rates, laws and initiatives in the District of Columbia, and to expand upon the Zero Waste DC Plan by offering insights and strategies for the Plan’s proposed composting solutions. As part of the Zero Waste DC Plan for achieving “zero waste” status—which is diverting 80% or more of city’s waste from landfills to recycling or organics processing facilities—by 2032, there are many strategies proposed to increase organic waste diversion in order to speed up the process to meet this goal. Specific solutions must be implemented quickly to see immediate results for food waste diversion and other environmental concerns. More specifically, methane emissions that come from organic materials ending up in landfills—instead of composting facilities—should represent an obvious area of immediate District climate action due to how quickly the benefits of capital investments in composting programs materialize (Environmental Protection Agency 2020). If the District would like to address its impact on climate change and brand itself as a green city, it is imperative that composting programs be expanded quickly and broadly across Washington to limit its potent methane emissions associated with landfilled organic waste. This brief reviews many composting projects and strategies of varying scales that aim to increase community engagement in composting with the ethos that all communities should receive equal access to and benefit from any forthcoming composting proposals.