Improving the Circularity of Compostables + Compost
Learn. Collaborate. Solve.
The Improving the Circularity of Compostables + Compost initiative is a 2-year initiative whole system strategic planning and systems change effort focused on engaging pioneers from all parts of the system to come together to create a shared vision and a collective road map toward optimizing the circularity of compostables and compost. This work centers, but is not limited to food-contact compostables.
Circularity for the U.S. composting system means that the intentions of compostability are realized for compostable packaging and organic materials, and that the end products produced are able to be put back into meaningful use.
The planning includes a series of 14 Discovery Workshops that will culminate at a 3-day Future Search strategic planning event September 23-26, 2024, where a microcosm of the U.S. composting industry will work together to create a shared vision and long-term plan for the circularity of compostables and compost. The year following the 3-day event will involve a year-long cross-sector activation of the strategic plan.
A Future Search Steering Committee is guiding this project and is made up of 30 leaders from 26 organizations across the U.S. composting industry and compostables supply chain. Click here to learn more about the background of this work.
Future Search Event Participation Interest Form Sign-up:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFur2F0_1b1VLcPrgoTw1JhaQ28lodzk74O9KU8VW1CCTHrw/viewform
Project Overview (12 min video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpkiLmS7oAQ
Why is this event needed now?
- Inconsistencies exist across the system (policies, labeling, plastic look-alikes, etc.)
- Collective investments from all sides of the system are getting lost in a fragmented system
- Legislation growing around climate change, infrastructure development, and plastic pollution reduction without communication and coordination across the system
- Increase in move away from compostables by compost manufacturers coming from a greater need to manage food-related plastic contamination and non-certified compostables that do not break down
What is this project hoping to achieve?
- Design an inclusive, whole system circularity model for the health of the composting industry that maximizes environmental benefits: enables decarbonization, reduces solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and supports the use of finished compost.
- Improve collaboration and coordination between all stakeholders in the compostables system including policy makers, the supply chain, solid waste systems, and end users.
- Improve information flow between brands, packaging design, point of material sorting, and commercial composting processes for increased value chain effectiveness.
- Identify strategies to direct more food waste to commercial composting facilities that creates value and confidence for all stakeholders in the compostables system.
- Shift stakeholder behavior to mitigate contamination and the cost of contamination linked to non-compostable food-contact packaging.
Building Momentum through 14 Discovery Workshops
A series of 14 Discovery Workshops will take place ahead of the 3-day Future Search event, to begin to build a deeper understanding of the whole, interconnected system impacting compostable packaging. Each workshop will feature a panel of experts who can speak about the opportunities and challenges from where they “sit” in the system. Starting with the piles, the workshops work backwards through the supply chain, solid waste, and regulatory systems. The information generated from these workshops will feed into the strategic planning process. Anyone can register for the Discovery Workshops - they are free and open to all interested parties. Each 90-minute workshop is recorded and available on the project’s YouTube channel.
Project YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@ImprovingtheCircularity
FAQ:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Otlhq6kCzwBH37WRMLAcgB9CH0OUjGXy/
Discovery Workshop RSVP Sign-up:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB12TpIeHcJVoXjmi2sZnjJv1gFzVMI_7wb6j4pNgLthd5Kw/viewform
What is Future Search?
This Initiative is using a “whole system” strategic planning model called Future Search, which has been used nationally and internationally for complex systems change work. It focuses on generating alignment and collaboration in large, dynamic systems. The Future Search event is a facilitated 3-day large group meeting where participants actively co-create a strategic plan together based on common ground and an emphasis on a preferred future that uplifts the health of the U.S. composting system for all. The events will be held September 23-26th, 2024 at the Colorado History Museum in Denver, CO.
Who are we engaging and why?
The U.S. composting system, like an ecosystem, is deeply interconnected with many different types of stakeholders. Each stakeholder group has a key role in helping the rest of the system understand their realities, opportunities, and challenges:
Brands and retailers are able to work with all sides of the system and influence and scale policies and programs for the future. They include quick serve restaurants and other large box retailers.
Certification is a validation system that ensures investments made in packaging meet sustainability goals of waste reduction and diversion. Certifiers, ASTM labs and Academic Researchers create an accountability mechanism and offer confidence for compost manufacturers, procurement teams that purchase compostables and the public consumer. Involving certifiers, ASTM labs & research stakeholders can influence effective and harmonized alignment with policy making and legislative rule implementation and advising.
Compost Infrastructure includes current infrastructure used in transfer stations, material recovery centers including technology with AI sorting capabilities. Understanding needs around current bottlenecks can inform the next iteration of new technology and infrastructure.
Compost Manufacturers are private and publicly managed sites that process organic material commercially*. Centering this perspective in the process is critical to ensuring that contamination is addressed and that feedback informs the design of packaging materials that produce a valuable end product of compost. *In some regions, Compost Manufacturers coordinate smaller-scale residential processes.
Collection, hauling, and well managed logistics are the key to developing and pioneering successful solid waste programs. Haulers can help address the contamination across waste streams due to their role in education and can provide insight into operator needs.
End users include both commercial and residential users of compostable packaging and compost. Large corporate and educational campuses and municipalities are examples of purchasers of compostables and compost.
Distributors supply generators with products and supply the logistics and warehousing of products regionally. They have strong knowledge and education attached to selling compostable products and they play a pivotal role in enforcing compliance with certification requirements and labeling laws, as well as in stocking and supplying compostables to the marketplace.
Funding the design and development of a more efficient compostables system in the future is critical to this work. Including innovators in the conversation will help bridge to what is needed in an upgraded system. This can include both venture capitalists, philanthropic funding, and government labs.
Large generators purchase food service compostables and produce large amounts of organic waste. This group can inform better planning and product procurement policies that support cleaner feedstocks to compost manufacturers and fewer load surcharges and contamination fees.
Material Suppliers and Product Manufacturers develop and produce compostable materials and packaging. By partnering with stakeholders in the solid waste system and Compost Manufacturers, this can lead to more successful strategic engagement with planned solid waste initiatives, and a supply of compostable materials that help municipalities and organizations accomplish their waste diversion goals.
Municipalities inform programs within cities and counties offering organic waste collection and processing. Regulatory agencies include state, federal and public health districts. Both can benefit from learning the real challenges within the operation of organics diversion programs and work together to advocate for better system-wide solutions.
These supply chain-related associations have a focus on the success of the stakeholder group or groups they support within the U.S. composting industry.
Policy makers can help shape integrated and holistic policies that address system-wide challenges at both the state and federal level. Including advocacy groups can help build momentum for needed legislation at a national level. This can improve the quality of policy advising and program development.
Collaborative Funding Through Shared Leadership
Solution-oriented leadership is needed to collaboratively address system challenges. This Initiative is being powered by an innovative collaborative funding model, where participating organizations are joining together to collectively fund the 2-year effort. Dozens of organizations have already joined as partners. Having the whole system engaged and invested in this process is critical to the success of this work.
If your organization is interested in signing up to participate as a partner in the Future Search whole systems strategic planning initiative, Improving the Circularity of Compostables + Compost, please fill out this Commitment Form and a member of our team will be in touch with you.