Organic Materials Management

Resources

This page provides links to external and Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) organics resources. Identification of individuals, companies, or organizations on this list does not constitute endorsement by CalRecycle. This list should not be considered comprehensive.

Topics

• Compost Resources
• Farming/Erosion Control Resources
• Food Scrap Management Resources
• Vermicomposting Resources
• Turf/Landscape Management Resources
• "Water-Wise" Resources
• General Councils/Societies
• Videos

Compost Resources

Educational Sites

• Cornell University--Composting
• University of California--Guide to Healthy Lawns
• Composters.com
• Compost! Master Composter Home Composting
• Soil Food Web
• The Earth Project

Equipment/Suppliers

• Bins--suppliers
  • Compost Bin Suppliers
• Ready-made bins
  • Composters.com

Farming/Erosion Control

• Ecological Farming Association
• Community Alliance with Family Farmers
• California Farm Bureau Federation
• Appropriate Technology Transfers for Rural Areas--Farm-Scale Composting Resource List
  
• University of California Cooperative Extension--Santa Clara County Programs
• Natural Resources Conservation Services
• International Erosion Control Association
• Erosion Control magazine
• Central Coast Vineyard Team

Food Scrap Management Resources

Associations

• Green Restaurant Association
  89 South Street, Suite 802
  Boston, MA 02111
  Phone: (617) 737-3344
  E-mail: outreach@dinegreen.com
• California Association of Food Banks
  909 12th St., Suite 203
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  Phone: (916) 321-4435
  Fax:(916) 444-8095
  E-mail: info@cafoodbanks.org
• California Grain and Feed Association
  1521 I Street
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  Phone: (916) 441-2272
  Fax: (916) 446-1063
  E-mail: dboggs@cgfa.org or  matteis@cgfa.org
• Pacific Coast Renderers Association
  Michael Koewler, President
  Pacific Coast Rendering Company
  11350 Kiefer Blvd.
  Sacramento, CA 95830
  (916) 363-4821

Case Studies

• Food Scrap Reduction Case Studies--CalRecycle webpage.
• Venues and Events Reducing Waste Case Studies--CalRecycle webpage.

Other Resources

• Business Waste Reduction--CalRecycle webpage. Information for businesses, including restaurants, grocery stores, and other food service operations.
• Food Losses in the United States. (PDF, 101 KB)
• Local Government Central Waste Diversion Program Implementation--CalRecycle webpage. Information on California jurisdictions' efforts to divert waste from landfills as required by the Integrated Waste Management Act.
• The Safely Disposing of Waste Meat, Poultry, and Fish Material Guidance and FAQs (PDF, 123 KB) document from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture provides guidance to generators, haulers, and solid waste facilities in safely managing waste meat, poultry, and fish materials in California.
• State Agency Waste Management--CalRecycle webpage. Information on waste reduction for State agencies and facilities, including institutions such as prisons and hospitals that generate substantial food discards.

Publications

• Don’t Throw Away That Food: Strategies for Record-Setting Waste Reduction. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Fact Sheet (EPA-530-F-98-023). (PDF, 230 KB)
• Render Magazine. Published in association with the National Renderers Association.

Vermicomposting Resources

• Recycling Council of Ontario, Canada
• EarthWormDigest.org
• WormWoman.com

Suppliers in California

• Worm and Worm Bin Suppliers

Turf/Landscape Management Resources

• California Landscape Contractors' Association
• Compost Use for Landscape and Environmental Enhancement Manual--CalRecycle publication
• PLANET Professional Landcare Network
• Yard Doctor--Briggs and Stratton
• University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources County Offices
• Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment (PDF, 5.4 MB)--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Water-Wise Resources

• Xeriscape Colorado
• Irrigation and Training Research Center--California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources County Offices

General Councils/Societies

• Landscape Architects Technical Committee
• California Native Plant Society
• United States Composting Council

Videos

Excerpts: Best Practices in Waste Reduction Video (Chapters 9, 10, and 11). (October 2009) (Windows Media Video: 1.12.Mbps). Below are three chapters from CalRecycle’s 12-chapter Best Practices in Waste Reduction video. All 12 chapters are available to watch on YouTube or our Video Central training page.

• Chapter 9: Wood and Organic Waste (3:58 minutes) | YouTube | Transcript (Adobe PDF, 10 KB)
• Chapter 10: Sustainable Landscape (2:23 minutes) | YouTube | Transcript (Adobe PDF, 9 KB)
• Chapter 11: Food Waste (5:14 minutes) | YouTube | Transcript (Adobe PDF, 9 KB)

Reducing waste can save you money, conserve energy and resources, and reduce air, soil, and water pollution. The Best Practices in Waste Reduction video shows you real options for recycling, reducing, or reusing solid waste products. Helping promote California’s development of markets for recyclable materials is part of our mission. We can help you with technical, financial, and permitting assistance. Please feel free to contact CalRecycle’s Office of Public Affairs for more information. (2009)

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