Food Scrap Composting Policy in Illinois. Chicago Forum July 11, 2016

Transcription

1 Food Scrap Composting Policy in Illinois Chicago Forum July 11, 2016

2 Policy Forum Agenda Project Overview and Goals Illinois Food Scrap Coalition Composting in Illinois Food Scrap Composting Challenges and Solutions in Illinois Report Policy Deep Dive Discussion: Universal Recycling/Composting Law

3 Illinois Composts I. Report Dissemination Illinois Food Scrap Composting Challenges and Solutions Report Connect to key decision makers Discuss report recommendations and next steps for Illinois. II. Forums and Webinar Educate stakeholders Deep dive into strategies to advance food scrap composting Develop action steps GOALS Long term: expand local sustainable food production through development of a viable food scrap composting industry. Short term: education, policy development and advocacy, infrastructure development III. Composting Pilot Institutions and restaurants explore food scrap composting West Loop and Medical District WeCompost restaurant enrollment Project: Building Illinois Local Food Shed Through Advancing Food Scrap Composting V. Education Campaign Why compost? Environmental benefits Economic benefits IV. Economic Assessment Cost benefit analysis Job creation Soil/Water/Food connections

4 Project Goals Long term: expand local sustainable food production through development of a viable food scrap composting industry Short term: education; policy development and advocacy; and infrastructure development I. Report Dissemination II. Forums and Webinar III. Composting Pilot IV. Economic Assessment V. Education Campaign

5 Lost Resources 36 million tons of food scraps in US 21% of MSW is food scraps Less than 5% diverted for compost Source: US EPA

6 Economic Development Opportunities Cost Avoidance re: Landfills Efficient Use of Discarded Resources Local Job Development Key Element of Building Local Food Economy

7 Eco Benefits GHG emissions reduction Builds healthy soil Reduces erosion Avoids use of synthetic chemical fertilizers Filters and retains water

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9 IFSC Mission and History Mission: Advance Food Scrap Composting Toward Building a Viable Industry in IL GreenTown Highland Park 2012 IFSC formed in 2013 Now 160+ members 2016 Incorporation and Formalization of Board of Directors

10 IFSC Initial Work Monthly Calls Facilitated by SWANCC Mapping of Institutions Engaged in Composting DuPage County We Compost - Loyola IFSC Report SGA/IFSC Policy IEC/SWALCO

11 Research and Education Policies and Permitting From 8 in 2012 to over 160 in 2016 Communications and Outreach End Market Development Social Media and Website

12 We Compost Restaurants Hotels Hospitals Breweries Universities Museums

13 Commercial Food Scrap Composting in Illinois

14 Commercial Composting 1. Sort lunchroom food scraps 2. Haul to a compost facility 3. Compost in windrows 4. Use Finished Compost

15 Illinois Infrastructure Declining landfill capacity = need to build more landfills or divert through recycling and composting Low landfill tipping fees = more expensive to compost under current infrastructure Pilot programs testing the water and building infrastructure Policy changes supporting food scrap hauling, composting and anaerobic digestion

16 Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference Composting Infrastructure 5 years ago most Illinois haulers were in the business of hauling only garbage, recycling and yard waste Organics routes with food scraps now exist for many haulers 5 years ago Illinois compost facilities accepted only yard waste compost facilities now add food scraps to yard waste

17 Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference Residential Composting 5 years ago most experts in Illinois said we would not have residential composting that it was just a West Coast thing 20 Illinois communities will now be offering this service Phase one for drop-off of organics

18 Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference School Composting 5 years ago most schools could only compost fruits and vegetables onsite 50+ schools in Illinois have commercial composting programs diverting 80-95% of waste Chicago Public Schools switched from polystyrene trays to compostable trays this year

19 Small Steps Can Make a Big Difference Institutions Leading Change Of the 114 certified We Compost partners, 25 are institutions

20 End Market Development EDUCATION Share what foodscrap amended compost really is - Get out there and smell it! SCARCE SALES Local food scrap amended compost sales at Farmers Markets. OUTREACH Reaching out to purchasers of soil and compost. Reaching out to processors

21 Illinois Composting Regulation Jen Walling Executive Director Illinois Environmental Council

22 Problem before 2009 Very difficult and often prohibitively expensive to obtain a permit to compost food scrap commercially in Illinois because these facilities are considered Pollution Control Facilities under Illinois law. Exemptions - On-site composting which use the compost on-site.

23 Goals Illinois laws and regulations that will Grow food scrap composting in Illinois, but still Ensure that these composting facilities are real, legitimate composting sites and not environmental hazards. Picture from the Village of Oak Park

24 Solution Part 1 SB99, a bill introduced by State Senator Heather Steans, recently passed both the Illinois House and Senate and was signed by the Governor. Public Act View full text at

25 Compost in Illinois

26 Current problems Permit process still to expensive for medium facilities. Process not appropriate for vermicomposting or other non-traditional composting opportunities. IEPA struggles with complaints about composting facilities and not enough resources to enforce the law. Need to explore a tiered systems.

27 2013 Compost Legislation HB3319 Expansion of Rural On Farm Composting HB2335 Suburban and Urban On Farm Composting SB850 Pilot development of food scrap composting infrastructure

28 HB2335 Urban and Suburban Compost on farm composting 1. HB 2335 also creates a system for urban farms and community gardens that are looking to compost with material from off site. For those operations, HB 2335 creates a system very similar to the already existing on-farm composting exemption for farms in rural areas and extents it to urban and suburban setting. Those provisions are: A garden or farm would be allowed to compost off-site landscape waste and up to 10% additives (food scraps, etc.) The property has to be principally devoted to agriculture and the growing of crops. The finished product cannot be sold and must be used on-site and applied at agronomic rates. A tipping fee cannot be charged for the acceptance of off-site materials. The composting cannot occur within a flood plain or 200 feet from a flood plain. The operation must register with the IEPA, annually report the amount they are composting and certify that they are complying with the restriction laid out above. In addition, there is a 1/4 mile set-back requirement from residences but municipality in the state can through an ordinance create a set-back that is lower than 1/4 of a mile.

29 HB2335 Urban and Suburban Compost on farm composting HB 2335 will allow any community garden or other site in the state to accept up to 25 cubic yards of off-site materials both landscape waste and additives such as food scrap or coffee grounds without a permit. Provided the final product can not be sold and is used on site. That 25 cubic yards is restriction on the total amount landscape waste plus additives that can be on site at any one time and is not an annual restriction. HB 2335 also removes the 1/8 mile set-back from residences for permitted composting facilities in Chicago.

30 HB3319 Rural On Farm Composting Expansion HB3319 will expand the type of materials that can be accepted by a farm as part of the IEPA permit exemption for an on farm composting operation that already exists in the law. Currently, farmers can only accept landscape waste to compost. This bill allows farmers to bring organic materials from other agricultural operations for composting on a farm as part of their IEPA permit exemption. These materials are similar in composition for the purpose of composting to landscape waste and include things like silage, crop residues, and straw or uncontaminated sawdust-based animal bedding. This bill also allows farmers to bring in up to 10% additives for composting. This could include materials such as food scrap or animal manure. Changes to setback provisions

31 City of Chicago Farm and Garden Compost Ordinance Creates a two tier system Tier 1 Community gardens or urban farms that accept only raw, unprocessed fruit and vegetable waste and eggshells. These operations must register with the city. Tier 2 Urban farms that accept all types of organic material. These facilities must get a permit.

32 SB850 (2013)/SB1518(2015) Pilot Program for the Development of Food Scrap Compost Infrastructure Allows a pilot permit to be granted to waste transfer stations in Elgin, Stickney, and Lake County. Creates new infrastructure for the transport of commingled food scrap and landscape waste.

33 Compost HB437 (2015) HB437 - Temporary and permanent drop offs for food scrap and landscape waste This bill would create new options for temporary and permanent drop offs of food scraps and landscape waste, creating more infrastructure for Illinoisans to have access to composting services.

34 Compost HB437 One day drop offs Need permission from the municipality or county in unincorporated areas. Need to notify the solid waste coordinator for the county 30 days before. No permit is needed from IEPA and no notice needs to be give to IEPA.

35 Compost HB437 The event needs to meet the following requirements Signage on what can be accepted. Waste can only be accepted from private residences. Events must be supervised. If the waste is on site not during the event, it must be secured from the public. The organic material must be stored in a leak proof, covered container, that keeps in odors and keeps out vectors. No more than 40 cubic yards can be on a site at any time. Waste needs to be moved off site within 48 hours of the end of the event or the next business day.

36 Compost HB437 Permanent drop offs Must follow almost all of the above except Container can only be 10 cubic yards at any one time. Must be emptied every 7 days.

37 Compost Usage Reporting (2015) HB1362 Requires all state agencies that do land maintenance activities to report on their current usage of compost and how they could change policies to use more compost.

38 Compostable labeling HB2495 Compost Labeling This updates the state of Illinois policies to say that Illinois supports the development of a nationally recognized label for compostable and biodegradable products. Instead of state by state labeling, federal labeling will assist in consistent consumer education.

39 What s next? Legislation to clarify anaerobic digestion. Better regulations for each tier. Encourage use of the end product.

40 Contact Information Jen Walling Illinois Environmental Council

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42 Best Practices Research

43 Statewide Forums May 21, 2014 Northeast Illinois September 16, 2014 Northwest Illinois September 22, 2014 Central Illinois October 6, 2014 Southern Illinois Wrap Up Session: October 22, 2014 statewide - Bloomington/Normal

44 Challenges 1. Need for Education 2. Low Landfill Tipping Fees 3. Lack of Demand for Composting 4. Lack of Composting Infrastructure 5. Contamination of Food Scraps 6. Lack of End Market for Compost

45 Potential Solutions Educate about environmental and economic benefits Enact landfill diversion mandates/organics ban Establish a PAYT model Update permitting and regulations to a tiered model Marketing and policy re: end market procurement

46 Universal Recycling/Composting Law What Is It? "An act relating to establishing the universal recycling of solid waste. : The Universal Recycling Law outlines how businesses and residents should prioritize what happens to food waste to achieve greater good.

47 Universal Recycling/Composting Law Who Is Doing This? California Connecticut Massachusetts Rhode Island Vermont Austin, Texas New York City, New York Seattle, Washington

48 Universal Recycling/Composting Law How Does It Work? VERMONT'S UNIVERSAL RECYCLING LAW In 2012, the Vermont Legislature unanimously passed the Universal Recycling Law (Act 148), which effectively bans disposal of three major types of waste materials commonly found in Vermonters' trash bins over the course of six years: "blue bin" recyclables BY JULY 2015 leaf and yard debris; clean wood BY JULY 2016 food scraps (organic, compostable kitchen wastes) BY JULY 2020

49 Universal Recycling/ Composting Law Main Features of the Law Parallel Collection Unit-Based Pricing or "Pay-As- You-Throw" Public Space Recycling Phased-In Food Scrap Ban

50 Universal Recycling/ Composting Law Anticipated Benefits Foster stronger community connections Lower Vermont s greenhouse gas emissions (estimated 38% improvement) Increase recycling (estimated increase from 33% to 60%) and reduces the need for landfills Conserve resources and reduce energy consumption Stimulate green job creation Support the local food system Possibly prevent needing to build more landfills (VT currently has only one operating landfill)

51 Universal Recycling/ Composting Law Projected Financial Impact Increases in system costs are expected to fall mainly on the users of the system - increase of an estimated $7 to $9 per month per household in fees for services. Haulers will also need to invest in new equipment as they improve their capacity to provide new services.

52 Policy Deep Dive GOAL: Explore opportunities for policy supporting the recovery of food scraps generated throughout Illinois. Value of Universal Recycling/Composting Law for Illinois Challenges or Adverse Effects of Universal Recycling/Composting Law for Illinois

53 Social media links Follow IFSC Website: illinoiscomposts.org Blog: Facebook: facebook.com/illinoisfoodscrapcoalition Twitter: twitter.com/ilcomposts YouTube: youtube.com/user/illinoisfsc LinkedIn: linkedin.com/groups/ Thank you to our IFSC partners

54 Get Involved! For more information, please contact: Gary Cuneen/Jen Nelson Seven Generations Ahead