Model Compost Procurement Policy: With and Without Commentaries

Co-authored with Linda Breggin, Environmental Law Institute

Composting is an effective way to reduce food waste in cities, by turning food scraps into a natural soil amendment that can be used in city gardens and landscaping and improve soil health and water retention, without the use of artificial fertilizers. Composting also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic materials away from landfills where they emit methane and instead encourages carbon storage within soil, among other benefits.

This policy is a model policy created by NRDC and the Environmental Law Institute that municipalities can use to require the use of compost products where appropriate. The policy is easily adaptable for individual cities or municipalities. Commentary is provided explaining the benefits of each provision and where certain language choices were made, to help guide policymakers in fitting the policy to the unique circumstances of their region without losing important elements.

This policy is also accompanied by a Model Resolution; resolutions are adopted by municipal legislative bodies (most commonly city councils), typically state a formal opinion or position, and can be used to express municipal policy. Resolutions vary in form and content—and in the process for how they are adopted. This Model Resolution is drafted to reflect commonly used structures and language but can be modified as needed to conform with a municipality’s requirements with respect to form and style and a council’s scope of authority, which may be set out in the municipal charter or code. The Model can also be tailored to align with a municipality’s priorities and its available staffing and funding resources.

For more information please contact Darby Hoover, dhoover@nrdc.org, or Linda Breggin, breggin@eli.org.