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County staff, haulers and campus presenter weigh costs and options for organics by 2030
Summary
Staff told the SWAC Pullman area is currently in compliance for yard-waste rules, but Washington expects food waste to be added to organics requirements by 2030; committee members and a campus presenter discussed collection logistics, composting options and whether to build a county facility.
Staff told the committee Pullman is in compliance for yard-waste requirements and that by 2030 the state wants food waste included under organics rules, which will bring new obligations for collection and processing. "By 2030, they want food waste added to it," the staff member said, and staff noted businesses producing more than about 45 gallons would also need to manage food/yard waste.
A campus presenter described practical collection methods and constraints, explaining that campus operations use multiple compost products (composted bedding, regular compost and an organic compost stream) and that food waste currently goes into regular compost if collection bags contain plastic that would prevent organic certification. The presenter described collection logistics (small rear-load packer and 24-gallon rolling carts) and odor-control systems including biofilters to limit smells near nearby communities.
Committee members and staff discussed whether the county will ship organics off-site or develop local processing, noting both capital costs and regulatory compliance questions remain. Staff said some exemptions for private household composting are possible and that the county will be exploring organics solutions at upcoming summits and through further study.
