Tipa public affairs director: Consumer education crucial to expanding US pro-composting behavior

06 Aug 2021 --- The Cultivating Organic Matter through the Promotion of Sustainable Techniques (COMPOST) Act has the potential to set North America on the world stage as a “champion of composting,” according to Gary Robinson, director of public affairs at Tipa.

The new federal bill aims to proactively advance composting infrastructure and support US-wide. Following its introduction in the US Senate and House of Representatives, PackagingInsights speaks with Robinson about how consumer education is instrumental to get the bill passed.

“This legislation will ignite innovation, bolster local economies and activate entrepreneurs. It will make a global statement that the nation is ready to do the right thing for the planet and demonstrate mechanisms for other countries to follow for sustainable economic stimulus,” he predicts. 

Benefits of the bill
The COMPOST Act lists numerous environmental benefits of composting, including causing less nutrient pollution of surfaces and groundwater; emitting fewer greenhouse gases compared to alternative disposal methods; and enhancing soil health, fertility and agricultural resilience to the impacts of climate change.

“The financial resources in this legislation provide the pathway to incentivize sector growth. The scale of consumer composting also brings broader economic benefits to accelerate sustainable innovation for equipment manufacturers, haulers, educators, and for certified compostable packaging,” says Robinson.

“Composting is nature’s recycling, and as more people recognize this, I believe they will rally behind this legislation,” says Robinson.“This really is a win-win: for the consumer, food producers, the economy and the environment. The simplicity of the bill makes it both attractive and effective to draw support from all participants in the political process.” 

Last week, Tipa urged policymakers to support compostables after outperforming conventional plastics in a fresh produce preservation study. 

The supplier also found “landslide expert support” for compostable packaging in Europe for increasing the amount of food waste captured for recycling.

Finances first
Despite the COMPOST Act’s pursuit of environmental benefits, the first obstacle is “getting the bill passed,” Robinson flags. 

“This bill presents a targeted economic stimulus and its passing will likely focus on fiscal budgets and the net positive impact it delivers.”

Notably, the act plans on creating new US Department of Agriculture grant and loan guarantee programs for composting infrastructure projects, including large-scale composting facilities as well as farm, home or community-based projects.

However, Tipa does not foresee hindered access to the funds once the bill is approved. 

Robinson highlights certified compostable packaging is a “big part” of regenerative agriculture.“These funds enable solutions to expand consumer access and open market opportunities. This will include collection and hauling of organic waste, the sorting of non-compostable contaminates and education.”  

Educate your consumers
Crucially, Robinson views consumer education has a key component for expanding compostable practices throughout the US.

“We know that people have never been as engaged with the environmental crisis and are actively looking for options to live a more sustainable life. At the same time, it is important to continue educating consumers about the link between composting and reducing emissions,” he highlights.

He also advocates for consumers to begin tracking organic waste at home to monitor how much food ends up in the trash can each week. “This is a simple way to visualize how much organic matter is turning into methane in a landfill when it could instead be used to generate healthy soils to stimulate regenerative agriculture,” he notes.

Improving the general population’s understanding of packaging materials and waste infrastructure was a notable theme this week. 

The British Plastics Federation launched an online learning tool on correct recycling and polymer science for UK school children aged seven to 11 years-old. In higher education, Amcor invested US$10 million in the School of Packaging at Michigan State University, which Robinson also attended.

“A big drive from Tipa is community engagement with the process. By getting in on the ground and introducing people to composting directly we show just how easy it is, and how it will positively impact the planet,” says Robinson. 

“Composting is nature’s recycling, and as more people recognize this, I believe they will rally behind this legislation,” he concludes.

By Anni Schleicher