Composting and Organics Recycling Resources
The primary source of organics recycling information in Connecticut can be found on, or from links on, our Composting and Organics Recycling web page. Below is a compilation of links to related information which may be useful when readers wish to dig deeper into organics-related topics.
Articles | Books | Federal Agencies/State Contacts | Focus Papers/Fact Sheets
Food to Animal Feed | Food Waste Estimators | Journals | Organizations | Presentations
Reports | Toolkits | Videos | Webinars | Other
- CT Signals Food Scrap Recycling Facilities Are Welcome (American Public Works Association, March 2012, Diane Duva, DEEP)
- Greening Food and Beverage Services: A Green Seal Guide to Transforming the Industry shows readers how food service affects air quality, oceans, fresh waters, and land use, and how food and beverage professionals can implement practices to make positive changes.
- Composting to Reduce the Waste Stream - A Guide to Small Scale Food And Yard Waste Composting (NRAES)
- Worms Eat My Garbage (Storey Publishing)
Federal Agencies, State Contacts
- AgStar (EPA)
- Composting at Home (EPA)
- Food Recovery Challenge (EPA)
- Food Waste Management Tools & Resources (EPA)
- Reducing Food Waste for Businesses (EPA)
- U.S. Food Loss and Waste Challenge (USDA)
- U.S. State Agency Compost Contacts, laws/regulations, and other resources (USCC)
- Focus on Biobased, Biodegradable and Compostable Plastics (WA State Dept. of Ecology)
Please see our Large-Scale Organics Management web page for food to animal feed resources.
- EPA Food Waste Management Cost Calculator (EPA)
- How to Estimate Food Waste Under the Massachusetts Commercial Food Waste Ban (RecyclingWorks, MA)
- Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
- Cornell Waste Management Institute Composting Resources
- Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) - Search under the Compost/Organics category.
- US Composting Council (USCC)
- US Composting Council Research & Education Foundation (CCREF)
- Moving Forward with Organics Recycling in Connecticut (Presentation, March 2014, KC Alexander, DEEP)
- Implementing Commercial Organics Recycling in CT: An Overview of CT's Commercial Organics Recycling law (Presentation, December 2014, KC Alexander, DEEP)
- State of Composting in the U.S.: What, Why, Where & How (Institute for Local Self Reliance, July 2014)
- Growing Local Fertility: A Guide to Community Composting (Institute for Local Self Reliance, July 2014)
- Municipal Curbside Compostables Collection - What Works and Why? (MIT Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2014)
- Source-Separated Organics Recycling Toolkit (Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs; EPA Region 4)
Local governments and other service providers seeking to meet residential waste diversion goals or offer additional collection services for their customers can use this resource to determine the feasibility, associated costs and optimal strategy for collecting organic material. To get started, read the Guide below.- SSORT Guide (PDF)
- SSORT Calculator Curbside (Excel)
- SSORT Calculator Drop-off (Excel)
- Curb-to-Compost Toolkit (Composting Council Research & Education Foundation)
- Don't Trash Grass! (CT DEEP)
- Turning Your Spoils to Soil - Home Composting (CT DEEP)
- Windrows of Opportunity (CT DEEP)
- Sustainable Materials Management Web Academy (EPA) Has presentations from several organics webinars.
- Sustainable Materials Management Webinar Series (NRC, PA Recycling Markets Center, 2012-2013) Has audio recordings and presentations from several organics webinars.
- Maryland Recycling Network - Has presentations and recordings from some past organics webinars.
- Composting & Organics Recycling (CT DEEP)
- Large-Scale Organics Management (CT DEEP)
- Food Waste Reduction & Recovery Discusses food donation, the food recovery hierarchy, tools for preventing wasted food at home, at school and at food businesses, and more. (CT DEEP)
- Composting with Red Wiggler Worms (City Farmer)
The Burrow - Vermicomposting (Worm World, Inc.)
This is only a partial listing and by providing it to you, the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is not recommending these resources over any others.
Content Last Updated February 11, 2020