Organic Materials Management

Here you'll find information on compost, mulch, biosolids, farming, sustainable landscaping, home gardening, food scrap, conversion technology, and other topics relating to the management and use of organic resources. (Note: All terms in green link to a glossary definition.)

What are "Organics"?
We use the term "organics" to mean material that was once living, such as leaves, grass, agricultural crop residues, and food scraps. Also, organics include materials such as wood waste, manure, or biosolids. In nature, these organic materials decay. This decomposed matter, such as the humus on a forest floor, provides nutrient rich material to surrounding vegetation, thus helping it thrive. The decomposition process is called composting, and the resultant material is compost.

Site Highlights

• Air Emissions Reduction from Composting and Related Facilities. Information on California local air pollution districts' operational rules and limitations for business that emit significant amounts of "criteria pollutants."
• Erosion Control Workshops: Fall 2007. Caltrans and CalRecycle's predecessor, the Integrated Waste Management Board, conducted a series of workshops on using compost and mulch to improve roadside vegetation and reduce erosion.
• Compost and Mulch Producer Search Tool. Locate compost and mulch producers by county.
• Covered and Aerated Compost Systems. Information on covering compost piles with breathable fabrics that may help reduce water needs during hot, dry weather and help avoid soggy, anaerobic piles during periods of heavy rain.
• Emissions Testing of Volatile Organic Compounds from Greenwaste Composting at the Modesto Compost Facility in the San Joaquin Valley Study (Publication released October 2007). CalRecycle's study of volatile organic compound emissions at a Modesto composting operation and the effects of two mitigation measures on those emissions is now available.
• Organic Materials Management Demonstration Projects. CalRecycle has a long-standing relationship with California's landscape and agricultural sectors to promote the use of organic materials through waste prevention recycling programs and projects.
• Organics Policy Roadmap and Schedule. Identifies six key issue categories related to increasing organics diversion and includes CalRecycle staff recommendations based on stakeholder input collected at the Biofuels Forum held on March 28, 2007, and the Organics Summit held on October 10, 2007. Staff presented Roadmap II at the December 16, 2008 Board Meeting (see Agenda Item 8) which presented the progress made on Roadmap I and outlined tasks for 2009.
• Regulatory Requirements for Compostable Materials Handling Operations and Facilities
• Threats to Organics Recycling Programs. Information on current and ongoing issues that have the potential to impact California organics recycling programs and markets,
• Toolbox for Organics and Compost/Mulch Use Survey. The toolbox includes model tools related to compost and mulch use from cities throughout California, CalRecycle, and other sources, as well as a Compost/Mulch Use Survey.
• Water Cross Media Coordination for Compost Use and Production Workshop. August 17, 2009, public workshop on Regulation of Composting Facilities--Conditional Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements.
• Workshop series 2008-2009 on Using Compost for Landscape and Environmental Enhancement