National nonprofits Keep America Beautiful (KAB) and the U.S. Composting Council (USCC) today announced that the organizations will join forces on efforts to increase waste reduction through composting education and activities nationwide.
Under the agreement, KAB and USCC will share educational resources and seek to identify collaborative opportunities that benefit their constituencies and the general public by promoting awareness of the important role composting plays in waste reduction, improved soil structure, improved water quality and reduced soil erosion.
“Our organization’s goal has long been to engage all people in reducing waste and recycling or reusing the products that touch their lives on a daily basis,” said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. “Composting organic residuals can significantly reduce landfill impacts while creating a healthier ecosystem. This partnership represents a win-win for communities and the environment.”
Over 30 percent of KAB’s 587 certified affiliates serve as the recycling coordinators for their communities, and 60 percent are housed within some form of local government. The organization also forges partnerships with State Recycling Organizations and other community-based organizations to host collection events, and deliver resources and programming such as America Recycles Day (americareyclesday.org) that raise awareness and increase participation in recycling.
The US Composting Council has over the course of 20 years developed initiatives that promote the recycling of organic materials through composting. The Seal of Testing Assurance Program (STA) is the only national compost testing and labeling program in the US which has helped to raise the level of professionalism of the commercial compost producer. The STA Program further evolved in 2011 with the introduction of the Consumer Compost Use Program. This uses STA test data to create certified uses (e.g., lawns, gardens, planting trees, etc.) for compost products based on established parameters.
The USCC also promotes International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW). This event engages citizens and professionals from around the globe in an annual poster creation contest that leads a week long promotional campaign designed to inform and enlighten people about the many benefits of compost. It is held is early May each year and can only benefit and grow with the involvement of KAB.
“We are very excited about the strategic alliance formed between KAB and the USCC.” said Michael Virga, Executive Director of the USCC. “Teaming up with KAB to share resources and promote our complimentary messages of diverting organic materials from the waste stream and into compost will be of great benefit to local communities and the environment.”
About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This national nonprofit forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For additional information, visit www.kab.org.
About the USCC
Established in 1990, the USCC is the only national organization in the United States dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry. The USCC is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization that also directs the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CCREF), a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, which administers public and private research and education activities. For additional information, visit www.compostingcouncil.org.
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