Organic Composting (New Jersey Case) – A Viewpoint

Abstract

New Jersey′s “garbage crisis” has resulted in the State mandating a 60 per cent recycling goal by the end of 1995. Attainment of this goal will be difficult as recovery of paper, glass, tin, aluminium and plastic represent less than 60 per cent of the materials discarded by the Garden State. Source separation and composting of clean organic materials such as food, soiled paper, waxed corrugated and other food processing residuals can help the State reach and surpass the 60 per cent goal. In 1993, American Soil, Inc. (ASI), a regional compost facility located in Freehold, NJ, played a key role as the first company in the State to integrate organic composting successfully as a recycling activity into the State′s solid waste management hierarchy. New Jersey′s “regulatory gauntlet”, developed since 1972, proved to be enormously burdensome to ASI as it strived to gain final approval. For this to change, strong leadership and co‐operation between the public and private sector communities must be established and maintained.