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Massachusetts Makes Composting a Way of Life
With effort and dedication, the citizens of Massachusetts are turning tons of yard and food waste back into soil through a state-run composting program. This program is considered one of the most successful programs in the country, and is woven into the state's environmental agenda. It diverts 37,500 tons of waste from disposal, and saves about $2 million a year in disposal fees.
Subsidized compost bins have been available in over 300 of the state's 351 municipalities, most of which run distribution programs each year. Municipalities apply for the bins through the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Recycling Equipment Grants program. DEP purchases the bins for delivery to each grantee community. Under the grant program, the communities agree to sell the bins for $20 and use the revenue to purchase additional ones.
Besides bin subsidies, incentives for municipalities to participate in the compost bin distribution program have included training and outreach materials, solid waste credits toward the local recycling rate, and increased waste diversion. Communities that have adopted Pay-As-You-Throw disposal programs promote home composting to help residents divert more waste. The Department of Environmental Protection provides approximately 30 public training programs on composting each year that reaches over 8,000 people. The DEP has formed broad partnerships to sustain the program that include:
- Municipal officials, who are recycling coordinators, public works staff, solid waste managers, and elected officials;
- Community Volunteers;
- Industry professionals, such as landscapers, landscape/garden center retailers and suppliers, designers, landscape architects, and educators;
- Horticultural organizations, such as horticultural societies, garden clubs, and urban gardening groups;
- Environmental and educational organizations; and
- Teachers.
Public outreach includes composting information provided through workshops, demonstrations, cable TV, radio, newspapers, brochures and public events. In May 2003, DEP's bin distribution program was featured on the PBS gardening show, The Victory Garden.
Workshop notices, bin availability and educational materials
are posted on the Massachusetts
Department of Environmental Protection's composting Web site. 
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EPA is currently looking at how other states might be
encouraged to mimic the program by expanding the goals of
its multifaceted Resource
Conservation Challenge (RCC) to include composting. RCC
fosters partnerships between businesses, government, and communities.