Organics Recycling In Florida
The Organics Recycling Committee (ORC) participates in and supports workshops and events specifically targeted towards organic recycling. Previously known as the Florida Organics Recyclers Association (FORA), this RFT committee is recognized as a leader in organic recycling in the State of Florida. They are continually promoting workshops in state of the art projects that benefit both the private and public sector as well as being a big supporter of continuing education in the organics field.
The Organics Committee’s Mission and Purpose is to:
Foster high standards and ethics in the business of recycling and reusing organic materials to assure safe production and beneficial use of compost, mulch and other organic recycled organic materials.
- Serve as a unified voice on important issues related to organic recycling by providing a forum for organic recyclers from the public private and nonprofit sectors to mutually discuss and resolve organic recycling issues.
- Inform and educate the public, governmental and business community of the economic significance associated with organic recycling.
- Encourage research and educational dissemination of organic recycling information and to assist in development of markets for mulch, compost and other organic materials.
- Work in conjunction with state agencies assisting in the development, promulgation implementation and enforcement of rules and regulation related to recycling and reuse of organic materials.
Organics Downloadable and Other Resources:
- Keeping Food Out of Landfills: Policy Ideas for State and Localities (2016). Linked share from the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation
Organics Resources and Education:
As a benefit to our members, we are providing the following organics recycling resources and links for your use and application.
FL Department of Environmental Regulation (DEP)
Composting/Organics Recycling Main Page: This program is involved with recycling of organic solid wastes. The main focus is on the production and use of compost made from solid waste, and on source-separated organic processing facilities. Activities include rulemaking, providing technical assistance on implementing the organics recycling regulations, providing information on the environmental aspects of compost production and use, and processing the source-separated organics processing facility (i.e., yard trash processing, manure blending, or vegetative waste/animal byproduct/manure composting) registration applications.
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/solid_waste/pages/composting.htm
Florida Organics Recycling Center for Excellence (FORCE)
The Florida Organics Recycling Center for Excellence (FORCE) is Florida’s Organics recycling resource center. It was a legislatively funded project to provide a framework to promote organics recycling in a statewide effort to streamline compost processing, research, demonstration, marketing, and education in Florida. This website was developed to be utilized by four organics sectors in Florida: 1) local governments, 2) agricultural community, (3) private sector (corporate/institutional).
US Composting Council (USCC)
The US Composting Council (USCC) advances composting and promotes compost use to enhance soils and provide economic and environmental benefits for our members and society. We believe that the recycling of organic materials is central to achieving healthy soils, clean water and a sustainable society. The vision is achieved through education, advocacy, research, BMPs, and partnerships.
University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information accessible. While extending into every community of the state, UF/IFAS has developed an international reputation for its accomplishments in teaching, research and extension. Because of this mission and the diversity of Florida’s climate and agricultural commodities, IFAS has facilities located throughout Florida. IFAS provides research and development for Florida’s agricultural and natural resources industries that in 2008, had a $76.5 billion annual impact.
Florida Backyard Composting Tutorial and Information
Welcome to the Florida Backyard Composting Tutorial and Information Website. Composting is the breakdown of organic materials by microorganisms. Sounds complicated? It’s not. Anybody can compost, even apartment dwellers. All you need is a little space, water, air, some organic material and the desire. Compost will happen!
http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost-info/
