Resource Directory
The Illinois Food Scrap & Composting Coalition brings together members with experience across the spectrum of food scrap composting. This section compiles IFSCC member materials as well as materials and links to associations nationwide supporting food scrap composting. If you have additional resources to add to this section, please use the link at the bottom of the page to share that information.
Reports & Webinars
REPORTS
Food Scrap Composting Challenges and Solutions in Illinois Report to the General Assembly (2015)
This report was designed to educate elected officials, composting industry stakeholders and advocates, and the public-at-large about opportunities and strategies related to developing a robust food scrap composting industry in Illinois. This report and the Executive Summary of Recommendations supported the work of the Task Force on the Advancement of Materials Recycling. The report includes Background: The MSW and Composting Landscape, The Benefits of Composting, The Importance of Composting for Illinois, Food Scrap Composting Model Policies and Programs, Compost Quality Standards and Economic Potential, Analysis and Challenges and Solutions.
Explore the full report here.
Food Scrap Composting Economic Impact and Market Study (2016)
“Economic Impact and Market Study Report: Elements of the Case for Advancing Food Scrap Composting Industry and the Link to Building Illinois Local Food Recovery” was produced through collaboration with the Illinois Food Scrap Coalition (IFSC), Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) and contracted Skumatz Economic Research Associates (SERA). The report explores how expanding composting and food recovery can grow local food economies, including green and sustainable jobs.
Explore the full report here.
Educational White Paper on Benefits to Soil and Water from Composting Use in Agriculture (2018)
“Analysis of the Barriers and Opportunities for the Use of Compost in Agriculture,” discusses how to viably scale food scrap composting industry, expand local sustainable farming, and resolve depleted and diminishing soil quality.
Explore the full white paper here.
WEBINARS
Compostable Plastics Forum: The Impacts and Implications of Use and Acceptance
August 20, 2020 – Co-organized by the IFSC and Chicago Sustainability Task Force, this forum brought together stakeholders from both sides of the compostable plastics lifecycle to discuss the current state of the industry, best practices, and how to handle an increase of compostable plastics at compost facilities while maintaining high standards in finished compost products.
Watch the recording HERE and read the notes HERE.
Illinois Hospitals Recover Wasted Food and Compost
Speakers: Cynthia Vasquez, Rush Oak Park Hospital; Nicole Wynn & Jen Grenier, Rush University Medical Center; Joe Iosbaker, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center
Illinois Institutions Reduce Wasted Food: How a University & Medical Center, Jail and Museum Reduce, Recover and Compost
Speakers: Jen Nelson, Seven Generations Ahead, Illinois Food Scrap Coalition, Wasted Food Solutions; Joe Iosbaker, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center; Sgt. Daniel Sheline, Lake County Adult Correctional Facility; Carter O’Brien, The Field Museum
Reducing Wasted Food through Campus Composting and Food Recovery
Produced in partnership by Seven Generations Ahead, the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN Community Colleges) and Illinois Food Scrap Coalition.
Speakers: Jen Nelson, Seven Generations Ahead, Illinois Food Scrap Coalition, Wasted Food Solutions; Christopher Clem, Triton College; David Husemoller, College of Lake County
Presentation here.
Conducting a Waste Audit on Campus
Produced in partnership by Seven Generations Ahead, the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN Community Colleges) and Illinois Food Scrap Coalition.
Speakers: Jen Nelson & Alli Preble, Seven Generations Ahead; Adrian Fisher, Triton College; David Husemoller, College of Lake County
One Page Infographics
Organizations
IFSCC Sustaining IFSCC Members Other Composting Organizations
IFSCC SUSTAINING MEMBERS
SAVOR…Chicago at McCormick Place – Platinum Sustaining since 2020
Beans & Bagels – Gold Sustaining since 2021
Eco Products – Gold Sustaining since 2023
Elgin Sustainability Commission – Gold Sustaining since 2021
Midwest Organics Recycling – Gold Sustaining since 2016
NRDC – Gold Sustaining since 2022
SCARCE School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education – Gold Sustaining since 2016
Seven Generations Ahead – Gold Sustaining since 2017
The Mulch Center – Gold Sustaining since 2023
University of Illinois Extension – Gold Sustaining since 2023
Whole Earth Compost – Gold Sustaining since 2023
WasteNot Compost – Gold Sustaining since 2022
Block Bins – Silver Sustaining since 2023
Christiansen Farms Premium Compost Supplier – Silver Sustaining since 2018
Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. – Silver Sustaining since 2017
Collective Resource Compost – Silver Sustaining since 2018
Compost Supply – Silver Sustaining since 2023
Cool DuPage – Silver Sustaining since 2016
Duke’s Alehouse – Silver Sustaining since 2017
Green Era Chicago-Silver Sustaining since 2023
Illinois Environmental Council – Silver Sustaining since 2021
Lakeshore Recycling Systems – Silver Sustaining since 2019
Midwest Compost – Silver Sustaining since 2018
Natureworks – Silver Sustaining since 2021
Rotochopper – Silver Sustaining since 2017
SCS Engineers – Silver Sustaining since 2023
SWALCO Solid Waste Agency of Lake County – Silver Sustaining since 2017
SWANCC Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County – Silver Sustaining since 2016
Total Organics Recycling – Silver Sustaining Partner since 2017
The Urban Canopy – Silver Sustaining since 2022
IFSCC MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES
*Government
Cook County Department of Environmental Control
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Kane County
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
River Forest Sustainability Commission
Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)
Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO)
USEPA Region 5
Village of Oak Park
Will County Green
*Haulers and Composters
Christiansen Farms Premium Compost Supplier
Collective Resource
Composting Partners
Garden Prairie Organics
Green Soils Management LLC
Lakeshore Recycling Systems
Land and Lakes
Midwest Compost, LLC
Midwest Organics Recycling
Organix Recycling, LLC.
St. Louis Composting
Teegen Compost
The Urban Canopy
WasteNot Compost
Waste Management of Illinois
*Food Scrap Generators: Schools/Universities/Institutions
Illinois State University
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Adult Correctional Facility
University of Illinois at Chicago
*Businesses
BioBag Americas Inc
Bright Beat
CB Beal Consulting
Christopher B. Burke Engineering
Duke’s Alehouse and Kitchen
Feed Earth Now, LLC
JPL Environmental Engineering
Rotochopper, Inc
UNNI Corporation
*Organizations
Go Green Barrington
Go Green Glen Ellyn
Illinois Environmental Council
Mindful Waste
Northern Illinois Food Bank
School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education (SCARCE)
Seven Generations Ahead
OTHER COMPOSTING ORGANIZATIONS
- Association of Compost Producers (ACP). The ACP is a nonprofit organization whose members are public agencies and private companies involved in the production and marketing of compost. The association helps members work together to improve the quality of soil in gardens, landscaping, and farming.
- Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI). A program in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The CWMI serves the public through research, outreach, training, and technical assistance with a focus on organic residuals.
- Illinois Wasted Food Solutions Task Force
- Soils for Salmon Resources (Washington State). Information about the uses and benefits of Best Management Practices to preserve topsoil, reduce compaction, and amend disturbed soils with compost to restore soil health.
- United States Composting Council (USCC). The USCC supports many programs, including the Seal of Testing Assurance, the Test Methods for the Examination of Composting and Compost, the Compost Analysis Proficiency Program, International Compost Awareness Week, and the Biodegradable Logo project.
- EPA – Food Recovery Challenge
- SWANCC Food Donation & Composting Resources
- OrganicLife Compost Questions
- University of Illinois Extension Composting Guide
- How to Compost.org
- EPA Composting at Home
- University of Illinois Extension of Lake County Master Gardener
Periodicals & Books
PERIODICALS
BioCycle
An industry leader working to turn organic residuals–woody materials, yard trimmings, municipal solid waste, food residuals, biosolids, manure, and other feedstock into value-added products.
Journal of Composting & Recycling;
Published by: The JG Press, Inc.; ISSN 0276-5055
419 State Avenue, Emmaus, PA 18049 USA; 610-967-4135
Compost Science & Utilization
published quarterly
Published by: The JG Press, Inc.
ISSN 1065-657X
419 State Avenue
Emmaus, PA 18049 USA
Telephone:610-967-4135
Resource Recycling
published monthly
North America’s Recycling and Composting Journal
Published by: Resource Recycling, Inc.
1206 N.W. 21st Avenue
Portland, OR 97209-1609
Telephone: 503-227-1319
MSW Management
published seven times annually
Published by: Forester Communications Inc.
5638 Hollister Avenue, #301
Santa Barbara, CA 93117
Telephone: 805-681-1300
Fax: 805-681-1312
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BOOKS
Composting Inside and Out
By Urban Worm Girl
urbanwormgirl.com
Let It Rot: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting
by Stu Campbell
http://storey.com/
Worms Eat My Garbage
by Mary Applehoff
Flowerfield Enterprises, LLC
(269) 327-0108
wormwoman.com
Training Workshops
Angelic Organics Learning Center
Caledonia and Chicago
(815) 389-8455 or (773) 288-5462
learngrowconnect.org
Chicago Botanic Garden
Glencoe
(847) 818-2901 or (847) 298-3502
chicago-botanic.org
Growing Power Urban Farm
Milwaukee, WI
(414) 527-1546 or (773) 486-6005
growingpower.org
Smart Farm
Barrington
smartfarms.org
Videos
IFSC Spotlight: Hannah’s Bretzel – 2014 YouTube video
IFSC Spotlight: Food For Thought Catering – 2014 YouTube video
Illinois Recycles – Land and Lakes – Commercial Composting – Virtual Tour – 2009 YouTube video
Lake County TV –Highwood and Lake Bluff Begin Residential Food-Scrap Composting Programs – YouTube video
SWALCO – 3 Options for Composting Your Kitchen Food Scraps – YouTube video
SWALCO – Food Scrap Composting: Do’s And Don’ts – YouTube video
SWALCO – Lake County’s Dirty Jobs: Composting – YouTube video
PBS – Food Waste Film (Video)
PBS CHICAGO TONIGHT One Man’s Mission to Expand Composting in Chicago – Clip: 08/17/2016 | 6m 58s.
University of Illinois Extension Henderson, Knox, McDonough and Warren webinar – Approaches to Small Scale Farm Composting – 2014 YouTube video
Village of Oak Park CompostAble Program – Composting On the Enterprise – YouTube video
Waste Management – Composting Tip: How to Create a Newspaper Liner for Food Scraps Container – 2015 YouTube video
WBEZ – Blaine Elementary students explain composting – YouTube video
Newsletters
Why Compost
Start Composting
Using Compost
Haulers & Processors
Resource Directory
We Compost Partners
Share your food scrap composting resource with us
Members can advance food scrap composting and landfill diversion in Illinois by sharing their tools and resources. Help us help you share your publications that educate and spread access to food scrap recycling.
Share your work in food scrap composting by emailing PDFs and/or links to illinoiscomposts@gmail.com and filling out the form below.