US Composting Council celebrates 25th anniversary at Compost 17'

The US Composting Council, the leading organization supporting the growth of the organics recycling and compost manufacturing industry in the United States, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017, and is set to host the largest composting and organics recycling conference in the world, in Los Angeles, from January 23 through 26th.

"We are excited to reflect on the past quarter century growth of the USCC and the compost manufacturing industry and we are proud to be a part of building this industry by providing training, certification, collaboration and advocacy," said President Lorrie Loder-Rossiter.

"The Council is the nation's go-to organization for producers of organic residues, compost manufacturers, policymakers, regulators, professional product users and home composters and has been responsible for not only establishing quality standards for compost as a product, but promoting the common interests and improving the conditions and practices of those in the field of composting, those who love compost and those who use compost."

The USCC provides resources, educational materials, certification testing, networking and career advancement opportunities for professionals and all those affiliated with the composting and organics recycling industry. USCC members include compost producers, marketers, generators of organic residues, policy makers, regulators, equipment manufacturers, product suppliers, academic institutions, public agencies, nonprofit groups and consulting/engineering firms.

With great forethought, the USCC established the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF) on June 9, 1992 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) undertaking initiatives that enhance the stature and practices of the composting industry through scientific research, increasing awareness and educating practitioners and the public to advance environmentally and economically sustainable organics recycling. Some of the programs the Foundation has developed over the past 25-years include the Test Methods for Evaluating Compost and Composting to accurately test the compost produced to assure that high quality compost is being produced and sold, developed the first comprehensive operator training manual that is the basis for the current training program, and the new USCC Compost Operations Manager Certification Test.

The USCC team and its members will celebrate the first 25 years of operations at the largest organics recycling and composting conference in the world, taking place in Los Angeles, CA from January 23-26, 2017. 

According to the USCC, the 25th Annual Conference in Los Angeles in January will be packed with content on ReFED, cutting-edge regulation and trends, will showcase a range of exhibitors, including a Demonstration Day, and will be a unique celebration of 25 Years and Growing as the industry’s trade group.

PreConference courses begin on Monday, including topics such as the ever popular Foundations of Composting, Community Composting and the Business of Vermicomposting; and opening of more than 100 exhibits at the Westin Bonaventure show hotel’s trade show hall.

Tuesday morning, world-renowned motivational speaker Chad Hymas provides the keynote, and several tracks, including one for operators and one focused on food scrap collection, run through the day.

Wednesday morning kicks off with the first-ever Breakfast with Champions, where roundtable breakfast discussions of facilitated topics give participants a chance get real-time advice from compost industry experts; and tracks on facility operation, California municipal legislation and policy, and specialities such as supplying cannabis growers. The day wraps up with a conference-wide celebration of the USCC’s 25 years including awards, entertainment and history.

Throughout the conference other activities include a meeting of the Compostable Products Task Force, Chapters Roundtable, Seal of Testing Assurance Annual Meeting and Young Professionals activities (including a volunteer project and networking evening). Thursday will feature the traditional and hugely popular Equipment Demonstration Day at the City of Los Angeles Lopez Canyon Landfill, a virtual shopping mall for equipment buyers who can see turners, shredders, grinders and screens in action. To register and learn more, visit www.compostconference.com.