The information on this website is designed to help you understand the opportunities and issues presented by compostable food serviceware, bags and other compostable products, and allow each stakeholder in the lifecycle of compostable plastics to determine for themselves the best method to manage compostable products in their unique circumstances. The resources displayed on this site have been vetted and approved for posting by the US Composting Council’s Compostable Plastics Task Force. This website was made possible through an Innovation Fund Grant from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network awarded to the cities of Asheville, North Carolina; Gaithersburg, Maryland; and San Jose, California, in collaboration with the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation (CREF). 

Share your resources: Do you have a resource to add to the Toolkit? This site is intended to constantly evolve and provide the most useful and up-to-date information as site visitors add their resources to the toolkit. Please email us your file or the URL of your online resource. Your resource will be reviewed by the US Composting Council’s Compostable Plastics Task Force and CREF before posting.

How to use the toolkit: This toolkit is a compilation of resources to help guide you through the world of compostable plastics. It is not meant to provide a position on whether you should use compostable plastics, but to provide analysis of the different types of compostable or degradable plastics and present other tools to help you make product management decisions for your region.

Rate a tool: We encourage you to use the Comment and Rating sections for each tool. Feedback from users will identify the most useful tools, weed out the less useful, and help future site visitors find what they need. To rate a tool, just click on the number of stars (out of 5) located to the right of each tool.

The Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) is a peer-to-peer network of local government professionals from cities across the United States and Canada dedicated to creating a healthier environment, economic prosperity, and increased social equity. Our dynamic network enables sustainability directors and staff to share best practices and accelerate the application of good ideas across North America.

The Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF) was established in 1992 in order to seek funding for research to enhance the understanding of composting methods and applications for compost and composted products. In addition, the Foundation disseminates research results to appropriate stakeholders and the general public.

The US Composting Council advances composting and promotes compost use to enhance soils and provide economic and environmental benefits for its members and our society.

Established in 1990, the US Composting Council (USCC) is the only national organization in the United States dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry. The USCC achieves this mission by encouraging, supporting and performing compost related research, promoting best management practices, establishing standards, educating professionals and the public about the benefits of composting and compost utilization, enhancing compost product quality, and developing training materials for composters and markets for compost products. USCC members include compost producers, marketers, equipment manufacturers, product suppliers, academic institutions, public agencies, nonprofit groups and consulting/engineering firms.