Composting Program

Composting contributes to Oregon’s waste recovery goals thanks to the efforts of commercial and agricultural composting operations and citizens who compost in their back yards. On this page you will find information on permits and permit applications, recent studies on quality issues, updates on the Department’s policy work, and links to lots of useful information on how to make and use compost.

Policy

Composting Facility Rules
The amended composting rules adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission in August 2009 were filed by the Secretary of State and became effective September 14, 2009. You may read and download the rules at the Secretary of State’s Web site.

• Fact sheet: New Rules Regulating Composting Facilities PDF
  A summary of the adopted rules.
• Secretary of State's Web site:
  • Division 93
  • Division 96
  • Division 97

Commercial Composting

• Clopyralid information
• Fact sheets
• List of composting facilities
  A sortable query available as a downloadable file (as a PDF, Excel, Access or CSV file), that includes landfills, material recovery facilities, composters and waste tire facilities.
• Permit applications
• Reporting forms

Residential Composting

• How to Apply Compost
• Natural Gardening Handbook (On Metro's web site)
• Publications
  • Basic Composting
  • A User's Guide to Compost
• Two percent credit program for residential composting.

Reports

• Commercial Food Waste Composting Food Study Project Report
• Excerpts from the Document:
  Research Concerning Human Pathogens and Environmental Issues Related to Composting of Non-Green Feedstocks PDF
• Restoring Soil Health to Urbanized Lands PDF
• Survey of Home Compost Bins Recipients in LaGrande

Resources

• BioCycle
  Monthly composting magazine
• City of Eugene - On-Site Composting Project
• King County Washington Organics and Composting Page
• US Composting Council

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