P1 1WHEREAS, Composting is an effective form of waste reduction,
2reuse, and recycling, and since organic materials make up
3approximately 30 percent of the material going to landfills,
4composting is becoming one of the primary methods communities
5use to reach waste diversion goals and create sustainable
6communities; and
7WHEREAS, Chapter 719 of the Statutes of 2014 phased out
8diversion credits for organic alternative daily cover in landfills
9and Chapter 727 of the Statutes of 2014 statutorily mandated
10commercial recycling of organics; and
11WHEREAS, Section 42649.87 of the Public Resources Code
12requires the California Environmental Protection Agency, in
13coordination with the Department of Resources Recycling and
14Recovery, the State Water Resources Control Board, the State Air
15Resources Board, and the Department of Food and Agriculture,
16to “develop and implement policies to aid in diverting organic
17waste from landfills by promoting the use of agricultural, forestry,
18and urban organic waste as a feedstock for composting and by
19promoting the appropriate use of that compost throughout the
20state”; and
21WHEREAS, Materials, including yard trimmings, vegetable
22cuttings, biosolids, food scraps, manures, and hay shavings, have
23been composted and converted into a beneficial product known as
24compost; and
P2 1WHEREAS, Returning organic resources to the soil reduces
2water consumption by over 30 percent on all soil types, conserves
3water during extreme drought or flooding conditions, decreases
4dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and decreases
5erosion and nonpoint source pollution; and
6WHEREAS, Composting is recognized by the State Air
7Resources Board as an important tool to sequester massive amounts
8of carbon in California’s soils to help immediately reverse global
9warming; and
10WHEREAS, Communities, through their local governments,
11highway departments, soil conservation services, and public works
12professionals, can have significant impact on clean water, soil,
13climate change, and landfill diversion by using compost for public
14works projects; and
15WHEREAS, International Compost Awareness Week is a
16multimedia publicity and educational initiative to showcase
17compost production and demonstrate compost use; and
18WHEREAS, Composting creates green jobs and infrastructure
19for cities and states that implement composting programs; and
20WHEREAS, The United States Composting Council, Canada,
21and the United Kingdom have declared the first week of May to
22be the annual International Composting Awareness Week; and
23WHEREAS, The Association of Compost Producers is the
24California State Chapter of the United States Composting Council
25and manages International Composting Awareness Week in
26California; and
27WHEREAS, The theme of 2016, “Compost: the Soil and Water
28Connection,” is a great way to get the message out regarding
29compost and its many benefits to communities and property
30owners; now, therefore, be it
31Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
32week of May 1, 2016, through May 7, 2016, is hereby designated
33as Compost Awareness Week; and be it further
34Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
35of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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