True sustainability in composting is about building systems that are good neighbors, good business, and good for the planet. When we design for all three, composting does not just manage waste, it also creates value.
By Scott Woods
As environmental challenges escalate and the circular economy gains momentum, composting has assumed a central role in sustainable waste management strategies. Yet, achieving true sustainability in composting requires more than organic waste diversion; it demands rethinking how facilities are designed, operated, and integrated into broader environmental goals.
- In this article, we explore three key questions:
- What does sustainability mean in composting?
- How can a sustainable composting environment be developed?
- How will sustainability influence the future of organics recycling?
What Does Sustainability Mean in the Composting World?
Sustainability in composting extends far beyond keeping organics out of landfills. It means creating a system that balances environmental protection, operational feasibility, and economic reality over the long term.
A sustainable composting system must protect the environment, be cost-effective to operate, and generate real, measurable value for the community. It is not enough to check one box. True sustainability requires a system that performs across all environmental, economic, and social metrics.
Key attributes of a sustainable composting system include:
鈥� Emission and Odor Management: Composting should reduce greenhouse gases, minimize volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and eliminate nuisance odors that impact surrounding communities.
鈥� Water Stewardship: Facilities must prevent leachate runoff and safeguard groundwater, often without extensive and costly infrastructure.
鈥� Energy Efficiency: Composting systems should minimize energy use and, where possible, integrate renewable energy sources to reduce operational carbon footprints.
鈥� Product Quality: Producing high-quality, nutrient-rich compost ensures that organic materials support regenerative agriculture, soil health, and carbon sequestration.
Developing a Sustainable Composting Environment
Creating a sustainable composting environment is both a technical and cultural endeavor. Success stems from three critical areas.
#1: Thoughtful System Design
Each composting operation must be designed to fit its unique feedstocks, climate conditions, permitting environment, and community expectations. No two projects are identical, and sustainability cannot be achieved with a one-size-fits-all approach.
Facilities must be right sized for their inputs, incorporate appropriate aeration and covering strategies, and allow operational flexibility as materials and regulations evolve.
#2: Regulatory Alignment
Compliance is not a constraint but an opportunity to raise environmental performance standards. Collaborate with project teams early to ensure composting facilities meet the latest air, stormwater, and biosolids management standards. By embedding environmental controls at the core of facility design rather than treating them as add-ons, composters can future proof their operations and avoid costly retrofits.
#3: Community and Operator Engagement
Operators are stewards of the composting environment. Training, operational support, and community outreach are all part of building a sustainable composting culture. Composting becomes a valued and supported public service when operators are empowered to run efficient, clean systems, and communities understand the benefits.
How Sustainability Will Shape the Future of Organics Recycling
Looking ahead, there are several ways in which sustainability will redefine the organics recycling landscape.
Climate Impact Accountability
Composting operations will increasingly be evaluated by tonnage diverted and their ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Facilities demonstrating carbon sequestration, methane avoidance, and energy-neutral operations will be considered essential components of climate action strategies.
Stricter Environmental Compliance
New regulatory frameworks鈥攅specially around air emissions, nutrient runoff, and groundwater protection鈥攚ill require composting facilities to demonstrate sophisticated environmental management. Those already integrated best-available controls, such as impermeable covers and engineered aeration, will have a competitive advantage.
Product Integrity and Market Growth
The future of composting also depends on producing a product that meets higher agronomic standards, is free from contaminants, and is rich in nutrients. Systems that minimize ammonia loss and ensuring rapid pathogen kill, contribute to creating premium compost products that support sustainable agriculture, stormwater management, and soil regeneration.
Decentralization and Micro-Regional Composting
Sustainability will also mean bringing composting closer to the point of generation. Rather than relying solely on large, centralized sites, the industry will see growth in small to mid-sized composting facilities serving cities, universities, corporate campuses, and farms. Mobile and modular systems will be critical to enabling this shift without sacrificing environmental performance.
Closing Reflections
The future of composting is inseparable from sustainability itself. Composting must evolve to be cleaner, more efficient, and more integrated with the needs of the environment and the communities it serves.
True sustainability in composting is about building systems that are good neighbors, good business, and good for the planet. When we design for all three, composting does not just manage waste, it also creates value.
As regulatory pressures intensify and climate impacts accelerate, the composting industry faces both an urgent challenge and a profound opportunity. Advancing solutions make sustainable composting not just an aspiration, but also an everyday operational reality.
By focusing on thoughtful design, rigorous environmental stewardship, and community engagement, the industry can realize composting鈥檚 full potential as a cornerstone of the circular economy鈥攁nd as a meaningful force for climate resilience. | WA
Examples in Action
Below are Sustainable Generation庐 projects that embody this comprehensive sustainability approach:
Staten Island, NY: DSNY The Staten Island Compost Facility underwent a significant upgrade, building on its decades-long commitment to composting. After a thorough evaluation, a state-of-the-art covered composting system was chosen for its ability to reduce odors and emissions, manage stormwater, and produce high-quality compost. The new facility was launched in July 2023, following a phased construction process that included the installation of 16 SG Bunkers and an on-site bagging operation that produces 鈥淏ig Apple Compost.鈥� This operation is a sustainable model for managing urban organic waste and boosting the circularity of NYC.
San Diego, CA: Republic Services partnered with San Diego County to establish a composting facility atop the active Otay Landfill, meeting California鈥檚 stringent SB1383 and AB1826 regulations, as well as local air quality and odor requirements. Following a successful pilot in 2018, the scalable covered composting system was fully commissioned in 2022, processing 60,000 tons per year (TPY) of residential food and yard waste. Powered entirely by off-grid solar units, the facility now produces high-quality compost and has received industry recognition as NWRA鈥檚 2022 Organics Management Facility of the Year. In early 2025, the facility relocated the entire compost facility to a new location atop the landfill and expanded its capacity to process 90,000 tons per year.
Grand Forks, BC: The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary implemented an advanced covered composting system that maintains throughput year-round while meeting strict air and water quality regulations in a region prone to cold temperatures. Incoming feedstocks, including biosolids and food waste, are processed separately to produce two distinct compost products.
Scott Woods is an experienced technologist and thought leader in implementing technology solutions to solve infrastructure problems. As the Founder and CEO of Sustainable Generation, he created the company to provide scalable, repeatable, organic waste processing and composting solutions to the private and public sectors. He is the former CEO of a compost facility developer and owner/operator. Before that, Scott served as Vice President of Global Remote Services at Sun Microsystems, bringing more than 30 years of experience in applying technology to solve business problems and create competitive advantages across the telecom, information technology, government services, and waste conversion industries. Scott was a Leading Clean Energy Ventures Fellow at Boston University and a Fellow in the Technology Intern Program at Bellcore (formerly Bell Labs). Scott can be reached at [email protected]