Organic Materials Management

Organics Policy Roadmap and Schedule

Compostable organic materials comprise over 25 percent or about 10 million tons of what is disposed in landfills annually. The CIWMB wants California to reduce the amount of organics being landfilled by 50 percent by 2020. To do this, at least 15 million tons of organics, much of it compostable, needs to be recycled annually, as identified in the CIWMB’s “Organics Roadmap” discussed at the CIWMB’s December 11, 2007, meeting, Agenda Item 15 (MS Word, 104 KB).

Staff assessed the various issues raised by stakeholders at the March 28, 2007, Biofuels Forum (Word, 41 KB) and the October 10, 2007, Summary of Organics Summit (MS Word, 66 KB) and developed the following six key issue categories that it suggests require more focused work and consideration by the Board Members: alternative daily cover (ADC) policy, economic incentives, siting and capacity, regulatory and permitting, research, and education. These common issues and timing for addressing them are the foundation for an Organics Policy Roadmap:

Key Issue Categories and their Implementation Schedule

• Alternative Daily Cover Policy
• Economic Incentives and Disincentives (Non-ADC)
• Siting and Capacity Development
• Regulatory and Permitting Constraints
• Research, Product Standards, and Technology Evaluation
• Education and Procurement

Alternative Daily Cover Policy

• Jun. 2008: Policy Item
• Mar. 2008: Policy Item

Economic Incentives and Disincentives (Non-ADC)

• Sep. 2008: Initial Policy Item
• May 2008: Award of 2007-D-7, Compost BMPs and Benefits Contract
• Jan. 2008: Scope of Work for proposed contract allocation 2007-D-7, Compost BMPs & Benefits (Word, 163 KB)

Siting and Capacity Development

• May 2008: Award Infrastructure Contract
• Apr. 2008: Siting and Capacity Workshops: April 16 and April 23.
• Jan. 2008: Infrastructure Study Scope of Work agenda item

Regulatory and Permitting Constraints

• Mar. 2008: California Biomass Collaborative Annual Forum
• Jan. 2008:
  • Item on 2008 Rulemaking Calendar (Word, 69 KB--from Legal Office) laying out schedule of regulatory activities; includes regulations affecting organic materials management.
  • Collaboration with SCAQMD and SJVUAPCD on greenwaste composting rules.

Research, Product Standards, and Technology Evaluation

• Jan. 2008:
  • Agenda item for biofuels RFP scope of work (Word, 67 KB)
  • Compost Emissions Report (Adobe PDF, 1.8 MB)
  • Organics Lifecycle Assessment Workshop
  • Scope of Work for proposed contract allocation 2007-D-8. Compost Cover at Landfills (Word, 163 KB)

Education and Procurement

Nothing scheduled at this time.