Local Composting Efforts Set To Expand. Why It Matters To Your Neighborhood

We recently published a guide to California’s new compost law, but we’re not stopping there. Many of you pointed out the importance of also having local compost options.

Quick reminder: The law called SB 1383 aims to keep food waste out of landfills, where it decomposes and emits the planet-heating greenhouse gas methane. Landfills are California’s third largest source of methane because of this.

When it comes to separating your food waste from the trash, some of you wanted to avoid the impact of trucking food waste to large-scale facilities, like the one outside of Bakersfield where much of L.A.’s food waste ends up. Others were concerned about how food waste is also being turned into natural gas, which is primarily made of methane, the very pollutant food waste diversion aims to cut down on.

When you drop off your food waste at a local compost hub, that food will be composted and used locally, in parks, community gardens and other green spaces.

And since SB 1383 went into effect in 2022, there’s been more investment in local composting efforts.

“It's only because of SB 1383 that the conversation, the discourse has evolved and has expanded,” said Christine Lenches-Hinkel, founder of Pasadena-based company 301 Organics, which provides organics management, strategic planning, composting services to businesses and residents.

More money for local composting

Here in the L.A. area, the nonprofit LA Compost has received state grants to expand compost hubs across the region, in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Orange counties. They’re also partnering with L.A. to expand local food waste drop offs and composting hubs at farmers markets and local parks throughout the city.

The $400,000 federal grant awarded in March will support 26 new yet-to-be determined composting locations in areas that lack them.

LA Compost founder and director, Michael Martinez.

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Kevin Liu

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Courtesy of LA Compost

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“There's been historically disadvantaged areas that have been underserved throughout much of history here in L.A. — a lot of South Central, Southeast, a lot of the San Fernando Valley,” said Michael Martinez, executive director of LA Compost.

“But what's beautiful is there's some phenomenal groups doing powerful work that a lot of what we want to do is to complement the good that they are already doing and really mimic what composting does," Martinez added. "Compost really does add to the goodness of what's already happening.”

Composting hubs enhance community

There are already examples of the importance of local compost and what it can do for communities. Martinez pointed to Cottonwood Urban Farm in Panorama City, which has 24/7 food waste drop off and partners with Black Thumb Farm on the same site to use that compost to grow food for the community. He also highlighted Alma Backyard Farms in Compton, which supports several urban farms, and GrowGood in Bell.

These are places where people volunteer to help with the composting or farming process, and some have training programs for local residents interested in careers in this space.

LA Compost also hosts free compost giveaways monthly for anyone who could use some compost in their own yard.

“Composting, yes, it's diverting food scraps from landfills, it's creating soil that can hold water, it's filtering stormwater pollutants,” Martinez said. “But the human element, in my opinion, is where the magic happens. When I think of what we're doing on a community scale, I think about how we're cultivating a human network. We are essentially establishing a network of individuals who care for themselves, for their neighbor, for their communal spaces.”

Michael Martinez, left, welcomes community members to the LA Compost Regional Hub at the Audubon Center at Debs Park a few years ago.

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Courtesy of Las Fotos Project

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How to get a compost hub in your area

Martinez said as they work to expand local composting across the region, it’ll be important to hear from folks about where they want these hubs. Pairing a drop-off near a place where that food waste can actually be composted and used is ideal.

If you have an idea for one, reach out to the organization you’re looking to partner with, or reach out to LA Compost for guidance.

Martinez also said a little-used state program could become more in demand. In 2014, California passed the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act, which provides tax breaks to landowners who turn their lots into places to compost or grow food. Cottonwood Urban Farm in Panorama City is a participant in the program.

“There's an opportunity for folks to look into these vacant lots, see if they can communicate this information with that owner and see if they'd be open to it,” Martinez said.

While LA Compost’s work with the city is primarily focused on city-owned parks and vacant land, Martinez said schools, community gardens, and other green spaces can also make for good local compost hubs.

“I think there's a lot of innovation that can occur with these underutilized spaces all across the city of Los Angeles,” Martinez said. “It's just a matter of connecting folks to the right resources and information to potentially act and move on it.”

Making compost personal

While it’s easy to toss our food waste and trash in our bins and forget about it, Martinez said better understanding the systems that we interact with on a daily basis can be transformative.

That’s how it’s been for him. He grew up in the San Gabriel Valley, next to the former Puente Hills landfill, which once was one of the largest in the country. While he didn’t understand the significance of that until later in life, he learned throughout his childhood that waste could actually be a resource.

His aunt was an excellent sewer. His grandfather, a carpenter who could make anything out of scrap wood. His father was an upholsterer and could turn discarded pieces of furniture on the street into works of art.

“I was very much saturated and surrounded by folks that reimagined how things could be used and given a second chance, whether it was a piece of clothing, a piece of wood or a piece of furniture,” Martinez said. “I feel like I'm continuing that narrative as a composter and how I see food.”