Mandatory Composting in DC?

This morning, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom signed the nation’s first mandatory composting law. The law requires residents and businesses in San Francisco to dump compostable food scraps into bins similar to their recycling bins, which are then emptied into compost collection trucks.

The new law is part of San Francisco’s efforts to divert 75% of resources from landfills by 2010 and become “zero waste” by 2020. They are on track to reach their goal with 72% of recyclable material already kept out of landfills.

One of the benefits of the new composting law is that, when combined with recycling, it has the potential of redirecting half a million tons of garbage each year, representing 2/3 of all garbage thrown away in San Francisco.

What does the city plan to do with all that compost? It is converted into high-grade organic compost that is so nutrient-rich, the final product is black in color. Local farms and vineyards use the material to grow sustainable, organic food.

Composting helps slow global warming. When food breaks down in the oxygen-starved landfill, it release methane gas, a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting greatly reduces methane production and creates heathier soil that can absorb more carbon dioxide.

Some groups have argued that DC needs a similar composting program. At a recent CarbonfreeDC workshop on composting, Ed Bruske of the Slow Cook said he took a trip out to the current composting site managed by DC’s government. You can read his blog post about it HERE. Essentially, he found that the city’s existing composting program is nearly non-existant, with an inaccessible composting dump site and scant public information. Cindy Olson of Eco-Coach has been urging citizens to call the DC Council and Mayor’s office demanding a better municipal composting program.

What do you think? Should DC extend its recycling and waste program to include compost pick-up? Would you use free nutrient-rich soil made from our composted material? Should such a program be mandatory?

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User normanack