US Composting Council releases survey results

The U.S. Composting Council (USCC) has released results from its winter survey aimed at estimating the environmental impact of USCC member compost producers including universities and municipalities. The Raleigh, North Carolina-based organization has a mission to advance compost manufacturing, utilization and organics recycling.

The data from the triennial survey was used to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) avoidance, carbon sequestration and fertilizer value, providing a clearer understanding of the environmental impact of composting activities within the council’s membership.

Members of the USCC sequestered an estimated 522,538 tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalents in soil in 2023, equivalent to $22 million in carbon dioxide value, according to the survey.

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In the U.S., 2.3 million tons of compost were applied to agricultural land in 2023, according to survey data, with 86 percent of compost applied directly to soil.

The 2023 Compost Throughput and Environmental Impact Survey was a voluntary assessment distributed to 730 USCC members, the organization says, including compost producers, haulers, researchers, advocates, public agencies and other stakeholders in the composting industry. Of those invited, 142 respondents completed the survey, representing more than 263 composting facilities across 40 states.

Respondents included small, medium and large compost producers, community composters, colleges or university departments, farm operators, haulers, academic researchers, nonprofits, public agencies and individuals.