Composting isn't just a feel-good practice...it's a critical piece of climate action, landfill reduction, and soil regeneration. As businesses, institutions, and municipalities ramp up waste diversion efforts, policy is what makes composting mainstream, scalable, and effective.

Here's what's shaping the landscape right now, and how your organization can stay ahead of it.

Why Compost Policy Matters: Landfill bans and organics diversion mandates. 

A growing number of regions are enforcing food waste bans to keep organics out of landfills, where they generate methane. California (SB 1383), Vermont (Universal Recycling Law), and Washington (HB 1799) are leading the way, with more states expected to follow.

Compostable packaging legislation. 

Cities like Seattle, San Francisco, and Minneapolis now require certified compostable food service packaging to simplify sorting for both businesses and haulers. Products carrying BPI and CMA certification are the safest bet for staying compliant (TÜV and BNQ in Quebec are also internationally recognized standards).

Public procurement and institutional composting.

Schools, universities, hospitals, and corporate campuses are increasingly adopting composting programs as part of broader Zero Waste or climate action commitments.

Infrastructure and investment.

Policy can directly incentivize compost facility development expanding processing capacity through grants, tax credits, and public-private partnerships.

Built to disappear where it counts. EcoSafe's BPI-certified compostable liners are designed to break down cleanly alongside food scraps, helping facilities stay under the strict contamination thresholds regulators like Washington's Department of Ecology are now writing into law.

PFAS-Free Certification: What to Look For

As regulatory scrutiny of PFAS ("forever chemicals") intensifies, certification is your clearest signal that a compostable product is actually safe. Look for the BPI certification mark, which confirms a product does not contain intentionally added PFAS. It's a baseline every credible compostable product should meet.

For an even higher bar, CMA's standards on PFAS are the most stringent in the industry based on their lab testing requirements as CMA testing screens for total fluorine to catch PFAS that other testing approaches can miss. CMA approval isn't just a lab checkbox, either: it draws on a combination of internal experts and external ASTM and PhD-level advisors to conduct the testing, adding a layer of technical rigor and independent review that gives buyers real confidence in the result.

For institutions writing procurement policy or sourcing guidelines, requiring both BPI and CMA certification is the strongest way to ensure PFAS-free compliance.

How Your Organization Can Advocate for Better Compost Policy

• Check your region's composting laws. Understanding what's already required and what's coming helps you plan ahead rather than scramble to comply.
• Work with waste haulers and municipalities. If composting isn't available in your area yet, ask. Public demand is often what drives new programs into existence.
• Support PFAS-free compostable packaging. Advocating for BPI-certified and CMA-approved packaging helps ensure the compost stream stays safe and contaminant-free.
• Educate and train staff. Clear signage, staff training, and the right bin systems are what turn a composting policy on paper into a composting program that actually works.

Industry Resources Worth Knowing

A few organizations are doing the heavy lifting on composting policy, testing, and infrastructure nationally:

• The U.S. Composting Council (USCC) leads national efforts to expand composting access, advocate for supportive policy, and improve compost quality standards with tools for businesses, governments, and composters alike. They have many webinars to keep you up-to-date with everything compost! We're proud to be a long standing supporter and member. If you're an advocate like us, check out USCC's Compost Action Center.
• The Target Organics Hub, a free USCC resource, offers best practices and case studies for municipalities building out composting infrastructure. We help keep this hub running by volunteering our time to promoting and adding resources.
• The Compostable Field Testing Program (CFTP) is an open-source research platform that field-tests how compostable products actually disintegrate in real-world composting facilities, complementing lab-based certification with real operating data that helps composters, policymakers, and brands make better decisions.
• Compost Council of Canada (CCC) is the national non-profit, member-driven organization dedicated to advocating and advancing organics residuals recycling and compost use. It serves as the central resource and network for the compost and organics recycling industry in Canada, and through its members, contributes to the environmental sustainability of the communities where they operate. We love supporting our country's council, and are proud to be a member!

Waste Is a Choice. Composting Is a Movement.

Policy sets the guardrails, but real change happens at the operational level in the bins, the training, and the everyday choices institutions make. The organizations getting ahead of composting regulation today are the ones that will avoid penalties, cut costs, and build genuine sustainability credibility tomorrow.

One law worth watching closely right now is California's AB 1201, which is reshaping what can legally be labeled "compostable" in the state. We've covered what it means for compostable packaging in a separate blog worth a read if you sell or source products in California.

Need help navigating compost policy or setting up a training program for your team? Reach out to our sustainability team for expert guidance and customized support.