For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 28, 2016
A bill that would require a strategic plan to advance composting, compost use and food waste diversion in Montgomery County was introduced today before the County Council. Council Vice President Roger Berliner is the lead sponsor of Bill 28-16 and Councilmembers Marc Elrich Tom Hucker, Sidney Katz, Nancy Navarro and Hans Riemer are co-sponsors.
Bill to create strategic plan
on composting introduced
before Montgomery Council
Long-term strategic plan would identify potential ways to
expand the practice of composting in the County
ROCKVILLE, Md., June 28, 2016—A bill that would require a strategic plan to advance composting, compost use and food waste diversion in Montgomery County was introduced today before the County Council. Council Vice President Roger Berliner is the lead sponsor of Bill 28-16 and Councilmembers Marc Elrich Tom Hucker, Sidney Katz, Nancy Navarro and Hans Riemer are co-sponsors.
“Composting has the potential to become an important element in our County’s commitment to sustainability,” said Council Vice President Berliner, who chairs the Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee. “Composting is good for our soil, our water and our air. However, there are barriers to overcome if we are to achieve composting’s promise. Overcoming those barriers is also critical if our County is going meet our 70 percent recycling goal.
“Today, food waste represents a significant portion of our solid waste stream. The purpose of this legislation is to come up with a comprehensive plan that will move us toward overcoming those barriers, unlocking composting’s potential to promote sustainability and meeting our recycling goals.”
Prior to introduction of the bill, Council Vice President Berliner met with various organizations that are leaders in the composting and food waste diversion realms, including the Montgomery County Food Council, the Montgomery Countryside Alliance and the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. Those meetings included discussions on the need for a more unified strategic vision.
The bill would require the director of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection to develop a “Strategic Plan to Advance Composting, Compost Use and Food Waste Diversion in Montgomery County” by July 1, 2017. The legislation would require County officials to work closely with key public and private stakeholders in developing the strategic plan.
The plan would provide recommendations on legislative changes necessary to reduce food waste and promote composting, as well as identify potential new County policies and initiatives to reduce food waste and promote and support composting. It also will be required that the plan describe models and best practices used by other jurisdictions. The plan would establish metrics and clear goals for increasing food waste diversion and composting.
A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19, at the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. A Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee worksession will be scheduled in the early fall to discuss the bill.
More information on the bill can be found at http://tinyurl.com/hrvklla . The information packet includes a copy of Council Vice President Berliner’s memo to his Council colleagues explaining why he feels the strategic plan is needed.
Council Vice President Berliner’s comments on video on Bill 28-16 can be viewed at https://youtu.be/92L_sFjBk7A .
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Release ID: 16-208