As composting programs within municipalities continue to grow, composting facilities are focusing on “true sustainability” within their operations. But what exactly does this mean? And how are composting recyclers embracing advanced technologies to divert organic waste from landfills, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions in their operations?
True sustainability in composting facilities extends far beyond simply diverting organic waste from landfills – it requires a holistic approach that minimizes environmental impacts while maximizing resource recovery and community benefit.
Bill Camarillo is the chief executive officer of Agromin, California’s largest organics recycler and manufacturer of earth-friendly soil products. Earlier this month, Agromin opened Mountain View, a food waste composting facility in Oxnard, California, using the latest equipment in food waste processing, including shredders, augers, centrifuges and aerobic in-vessel digestion (for composting). The facility can host up to 300 tons of food waste per day.
“The focus on composting has allowed us to make tremendous strides with composting technologies that help mitigate odors, emissions, quality and composting duration,” Camariillo said. At Mountain View, Agromin uses an advanced system of machinery, separating glass, plastic and metal before transforming the organic material into a clean slurry, which is then repurposed for animal feed, organic fertilizer or renewable energy production.
As Camarillo explained, within the processing context of composting, the effort of sustainability has undoubtedly evolved.
“Compost centers by nature are designed to meet every environmental impact from air, water and land use,” Camarillo said. “They also focus on economic efficiency and effectiveness to ensure longevity. We provide lots of compost to schools, non-profits and community garden programs to educate others about the benefits of compost.”
Lizzie Horvitz, a sustainability expert and the founder of sustainability platform Finch, said that over the past decade, composting has shifted from a niche environmental add-on to a core materials management strategy. Organics are now seen as unavoidable, high-value materials streams as food waste accounts for 20 to 30 percent of municipal solid waste, and landfills are the third-largest source of U.S. methane emissions. State and local policy is driving rapid expansion, as seen in California (SB1383), Colorado and multiple states on the East Coast that have implemented mandatory organic diversion.
“Sustainability used to mean simply keeping organics out of landfills. Today it means minimizing climate, water and air impacts across the entire composting lifecycle. Carbon intensity is being actively managed via optimized aeration, covered or in-vessel systems and methane capture strategies,” Horvitz said. “Odor control has shifted from reactive to engineered solutions and PFAS and contaminant controls are front-and-center. Most notably, facilities increasingly measure and report on emissions, energy consumption and water use – something we didn’t see 10 years ago. There’s also an entire industry popping up of at-home composters like The Mill or countertop composters that are making the movement trendy and fresh.”
Composting facilities are also embracing “true sustainability” within their facilities, in terms of facility design, operational excellence and integration of broader environmental goals. New facilities like Mountain View are required to follow all the new zoning ordinances, which address sustainability issues involving traffic, facility size, energy consumption, labor force support, water usage, safety and environmental impacts.
Mountain View’s facility also helps Ventura County meet California’s SB 1383 requirement of a 75 percent reduction in organic waste sent to landfills. The facility meets this target by turning food waste into reusable resources that prevent methane emissions and contribute to a circular economy.
“Facilities are incorporating sustainability into infrastructure, equipment and operational culture by facility design, including enclosed aeration halls to reduce fugitive emissions and odors,” Horvitz said. “Also, facilities are striving for operational excellence (automation and AI enabled contamination detection) and broader environmental integration (facilities aligning with municipal climate plans).”
Composting facilities are using sophisticated methods like windrow composting and static piles with forced aeration that helps control conditions like oxygen levels, moisture and temperature for efficient aerobic decomposition. This also helps reduce or completely eliminate harmful emissions.
From a facility design perspective, Horvitz said compost recycling companies are implementing closed-loop systems with proper leachate management, biofilter odor control and stormwater capture to prevent contamination of surrounding ecosystems. The liquid runoff (leachate) from compost piles can contact potential contaminants, posing a risk of soil and water pollution. Other facilities are embracing on-site renewable energy generation, such as solar panels, energy-efficient aeration systems and strategic site selection that minimizes transportation distances.
Industry experts pointed out that one other unique element that sustainable composting facilities can provide to the overall community is an educational component – serving as educational hubs and economic engines in their communities, creating green jobs, offering tours and workshops and partnering with local governments on zero-waste initiatives. They also serve as educational models, partnering with universities and businesses to raise awareness about sustainable waste management. This can help educate residents, organizations and businesses about the important role composting plays.
Challenges Facing Composting Facilities
As composting programs continue to evolve, challenges also emerge. One of the biggest challenges facing the industry includes building infrastructure, product quality and markets.
“The greatest challenges surrounding the composting facilities themselves in terms of exuding sustainable elements include dealing with the air boards, water boards, land use issues and markets,” Camarillo said.
In addition, contamination is a significant challenge because of non-compostable materials like plastic, metals and glass – all of which degrade the quality of the final composted product. The decomposition process also naturally produces odors, leading to odor management program requirements. These efforts can add to operational costs to the overall facility operations.
Horvitz said upfront capital costs remain another significant challenge, especially if these facilities want to be state-of-the-art. Managing emissions and community concerns is important to ensure neighbor relationships maintain strong.
Looking ahead, composting is expected to continue to impact the waste and recycling industries, especially as more municipalities initiate composting initiatives among residents and area businesses.
“The volume of compostable materials is increasing dramatically, which is putting pressure on infrastructure, logistics and markets,” Camarillo said.
Horvitz added that contamination remains the largest challenge facing the industry – even “compostable” plastics can cause operational headaches.
“Patchwork regulations make it hard for operators to work within the different local standards, labeling laws and acceptable feedstocks,” Horvitz said. “End-market certainty makes compost markets regionally inconsistent.”
Horvitz expects composting will reduce landfill dependence – as cities replicate California’s model, organics diversion could shrink landfill tonnage by 20 to 40 percent in major metros.
“Material streams will also be redefined – recycling programs will need to adapt as composting reduces contamination in recycling carts,” Horvitz said. “Similar to methane reduction targets, wildfire risk management or stormwater management goals, compost will be recognized as climate infrastructure.”
Published January 2026