The US Composting Council is firmly opposed to landfilling yard debris and other source-separated organics when viable alternatives are available. It is an inefficient way to use our organic feedstocks–wasting resources, reducing recycling, and potentially increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
As the world focuses on mitigating and preventing the consequences of global climate change there is a heightened awareness of the significant impact of landfill-generated methane emissions. This recognition is increasing the importance of recovering organics through composting and anaerobic digestion, since it is the organics that are buried in landfills that are the source of this methane. Currently there are 23 states that ban some fashion of organics disposal in landfills, mostly leaves, grass and other yard debris. It is unfortunate and ironic that these easiest-to-recycle materials are now the target of some entities who want to overturn organics landfill bans under the premise that the methane these organics would generate can be used as an energy source. The US Composting Council is firmly opposed to landfilling yard debris and other source-separated organic wastes. From both energy and resource conservation standpoints this is a wasteful use of resources, decreasing recycling and the life of our landfills and potentially increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Yard trimmings should be recycled into mulch and compost that can be used to enhance the health of our soils and plants and protect our water resources.
read full statement compostingcouncil.org