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The food and organic waste rules that matter for on-site composting. United States first, then a searchable list of other countries.
Last checked: October 26, 2026
There is no federal composting mandate in the US. The rules that bind businesses come from states and cities. These are the main ones.
Federal context
No federal mandate for businesses. The strategy backs the national goals to halve food loss and waste by 2030 and to recycle more organic waste.
Open the official source: National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics
California
Statewide organics collection and edible food recovery. Large food businesses (Tier 1) since 2022, restaurants, hotels and venues (Tier 2) since 2024. Target: 75% less organic waste to landfill than in 2014.
Open the official source: SB 1383, Short-Lived Climate PollutantsRead our guide: California
San Francisco, California
Everyone in the city must separate recyclables, compostables and trash. It was the first US city law to require everyone to compost food scraps.
Open the official source: Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance (No. 100-09)Read our guide: San Francisco, California
Vermont
Food scraps have been banned from the trash for everyone in Vermont, homes and businesses, since July 1, 2020.
Massachusetts
Since November 1, 2022, businesses and institutions that dispose of half a ton or more of food material a week may not send it to a disposal facility.
Open the official source: Commercial Food Material Disposal Ban (310 CMR 19.000)Read our guide: Massachusetts
New York State
Generators of 2 tons of wasted food a week must donate edible food and recycle the rest if a recycler is within 25 miles. From January 1, 2027: 1 ton a week within 50 miles; from 2029: half a ton. New York City has its own rules.
Open the official source: Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law (6 NYCRR Part 350)
New York City
Covered food service businesses, hotels and food stores above set size thresholds must separate organic waste. Processing on site in an in-vessel composting system is one of the ways to comply.
Open the official source: Commercial Organics Requirements (Local Law 146 of 2013)Read our guide: New York City
Washington
In covered areas, businesses must arrange organics management: 8 cubic yards a week from 2024, 4 from 2025 and 96 gallons from January 2026. Managing the material on site is a listed way to comply.
Open the official source: Organics Management Law (HB 1799)Read our guide: Washington
Maryland
Since 2024, generators of at least 1 ton of food residuals a week (2 tons in 2023) must divert them, if an organics recycling facility within 30 miles can take them.
Open the official source: Food Residuals Diversion (HB 264, 2021)Read our guide: Maryland
Connecticut
Covered businesses that generate 26 tons or more of food waste a year and are within 20 miles of an authorized facility must recycle it. Institutions have been covered since 2025, with annual reporting.
Open the official source: Commercial Organics Recycling Law (CGS 22a-226e)Read our guide: Connecticut
New Jersey
Since October 14, 2021, large food waste generators (52 tons a year or more) within 25 road miles of an authorized facility must separate and recycle food waste. Enclosed on-site composting is an accepted way to comply.
Open the official source: Food Waste Recycling Law (P.L. 2020, c.24)
Rhode Island
Covered entities that generate 104 tons or more of organic waste a year and are within 15 miles of an authorized composting or digestion facility must recycle it.
Open the official source: Food waste recycling requirement (R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.9-17)
Illinois
Since January 1, 2025, event facilities with a legal capacity of 3,500 or more must offer recycling and separate composting of organic waste in counties that have composting facilities.
Open the official source: Large Event Facilities Act, 415 ILCS 190 (P.A. 103-927)Read our guide: Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Venues in suburban Cook County with a capacity of at least 3,500 must divert back-of-house organics and recycling from January 1, 2026, add front-of-house collection from January 1, 2027, and report every quarter.
Open the official source: Cook County Code Sections 30-921 and 30-922 (large event venues)Read our guide: Cook County, Illinois
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Since January 1, 2020, food businesses in covered sectors that generate one ton of trash a week, or contract for 8 cubic yards or more, must divert back-of-house food waste. Donation alone does not meet the rule.
Open the official source: Hennepin County Ordinance 13, Recycling
Denver, Colorado
Since September 1, 2026, food businesses must offer recycling and back-of-house composting, and multifamily buildings with 8 or more units and permitted events must provide recycling and composting. On-site composting can be approved as alternative compliance. Exemptions cover hardship, minimal volumes, lack of haulers and space limits.
Open the official source: Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance (Waste No More)Read our guide: Denver, Colorado
Portland metro area, Oregon
Food businesses in the Portland area separate food scraps in phases: 1,000 lb a week from March 2023, 500 lb from September 2023 and 250 lb from September 2024. Customer plate waste is excluded.
Open the official source: Metro Code Chapter 5.15, Business Food Waste Requirement
Austin, Texas
Every food-permitted business must give employees convenient access to organics diversion and file an organics plan each year between October 1 and February 1. City rules accept a well-managed on-site composting program as diversion, with the Director's approval.
Open the official source: Universal Recycling Ordinance (Austin City Code Chapter 15-6)
Washington, DC
Large generators must donate excess edible food and separate back-of-house food waste: food stores of 10,000 sq ft or more and large colleges since 2023, grocery chains, arenas, hospitals and nursing homes since 2024. An on-site in-vessel or DPW-approved system is allowed.
Open the official source: D.C. Code § 8-1031.03a, Requirements for commercial food wasteRead our guide: Washington, DC
Seattle, Washington
Every business that generates food waste or compostable paper must subscribe to composting service, compost on site or self-haul its food waste, and may not put food waste in the garbage.
Open the official source: Seattle Municipal Code 21.36.082 (commercial composting)Read our guide: Seattle, Washington
Maine
From July 1, 2030, sites generating 2 tons or more of food waste a week within 20 miles of an organics recycler may not landfill or incinerate it; from July 1, 2032 the rule covers 1 ton within 25 miles. Composting at the point of generation is allowed.
Open the official source: 38 M.R.S. § 2147, Food waste management; diversionRead our guide: Maine
New Hampshire
Since February 1, 2025, entities generating 1 ton or more of food waste a week within 20 miles of a facility with capacity may not send it to landfills or incinerators.
Open the official source: RSA 149-M:27, V, Food waste disposal ban
Find a country to see its main rules and the official source.
Minimum national standards for managing household and similar waste. Regulated by Decree 779/2022, which adds a unified color code.
Open the official source: Ley 25.916 de Gestión de Residuos Domiciliarios
Zero Waste law of Buenos Aires: less waste sent to disposal through separation at source, recovery and recycling, with duties for special generators.
Open the official source: Ley 1.854 Basura Cero (Ciudad de Buenos Aires)
National solid waste policy. Municipal cleaning services must set up composting for organic waste and find uses for the compost.
Open the official source: Lei 12.305/2010, Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos
Regulates the national solid waste policy.
The national plan aims to close all open dumps and raise recovery of urban waste to about 50% in 20 years through recycling, composting, biodigestion and energy recovery.
Open the official source: Plano Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (Decreto nº 11.043/2022)
In São Paulo, businesses generating more than 200 liters of waste a day must register and hire a licensed company to collect, treat and dispose of it; they may not use household collection.
Issued under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016. Directs municipalities, businesses and institutions in Ontario to cut food waste and recover organics.
Open the official source: Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement (Order in Council 397/2018)
Since 2015, food scraps may not go into the garbage in Metro Vancouver. Loads with too much organic material are charged a surcharge at disposal sites.
Open the official source: Organics disposal ban (Metro Vancouver)
Framework law for waste management, extended producer responsibility and recycling.
National strategy with the goal of recovering 66% of municipal organic waste by 2040.
Open the official source: Estrategia Nacional de Residuos Orgánicos Chile 2040
A national color code for sorting waste at source: green for usable organic waste, white for recyclables, black for non-usable waste.
Makes selective collection and treatment of source-separated organic waste part of the public sanitation service. Users must separate organics; the decree applies six months after publication.
Open the official source: Decreto 0772 de 2026 (modifica el Decreto 1077 de 2015)Read our guide: Decreto 0772 de 2026 (modifica el Decreto 1077 de 2015)
Creates the Zero Waste Program, with municipal targets for separation, recovery and treatment, on-site treatment of organics in hard-to-reach areas and a national residual biomass plan.
Open the official source: Decreto 670 de 2025 (Programa Basura Cero)
The federal framework for preventing waste and managing it in an integrated way, including urban solid waste.
Open the official source: Ley General para la Prevención y Gestión Integral de los Residuos
Mexico City standard with minimum requirements for making compost from the organic fraction of urban solid waste, and minimum compost quality.
A national framework law in force since January 2026. It sets extended producer responsibility, aims to cut food waste and landfilling, promotes composting and called for its regulations within 180 days.
Open the official source: Ley General de Economía CircularRead our guide: Ley General de Economía Circular
Every generator in Mexico City, businesses included, must separate organic from inorganic waste. High-volume generators (50 kg a day or more) need a waste management plan and authorized collection.
Open the official source: Ley de Residuos Sólidos de la Ciudad de México y NADF-024-AMBT-2013
Puts recovery ahead of final disposal. Municipalities give priority to recovering organic waste from parks, markets and, where possible, homes.
Open the official source: Decreto Legislativo N.° 1278, Ley de Gestión Integral de Residuos Sólidos
The law's implementing regulation. It lists composting among recovery operations and was amended in 2022 and 2024.
Open the official source: Decreto Supremo N.° 014-2017-MINAM (Reglamento)
Municipalities must give priority to recovering organic waste from green areas and municipal markets, and composting and bioconversion count as material recovery.
Open the official source: Ley N.° 32212 (modifica el Decreto Legislativo N.° 1278)
Since July 1, 2021, municipalities across the country have collected ten waste types the same way, food waste included. Businesses must source-separate their recyclable waste, food waste included.
The EU framework for waste: the waste hierarchy and the duties of member states.
Open the official source: Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC
Since December 31, 2023, bio-waste must be separated and recycled at source or collected separately. Member states encourage composting.
EU rules for fertilizing products, including compost used as a component.
Open the official source: Fertilising Products Regulation (EU) 2019/1009
Since January 1, 2024, all businesses and households must sort bio-waste at source (from 2023 for businesses above 5 metric tons a year).
Circular economy act. Household bio-waste has had to be collected separately since 2015 (now § 20).
Rules for treating bio-waste and for using compost on soil.
Separate collection of organic waste has been required since December 31, 2021, in reusable containers or certified compostable bags.
Open the official source: D.Lgs. 152/2006, art. 182-ter (rifiuti organici)
Separate collection of bio-waste: municipalities over 5,000 inhabitants by June 30, 2022, all others by December 31, 2023. Home and community composting count.
Open the official source: Ley 7/2022, de residuos y suelos contaminados para una economía circular
The framework environment law of Türkiye; the waste regulations below are based on it.
General rules for managing waste from generation to disposal (Official Gazette of April 2, 2015, No. 29314).
Sets up the zero waste management system and its certificate (basic, silver, gold, platinum) for municipalities and the sites listed in Annex 1. Waste collection center rules were updated in 2021.
Separate collection of biodegradable waste, technical criteria for compost facilities and use of the compost (Official Gazette of March 5, 2015, No. 29286; amended in 2020 and 2022).
Ministry document on how bio-waste is managed in Türkiye.
Since March 31, 2025, workplaces in England must separate food waste and dry recyclables for collection. Micro-firms (under 10 full-time employees) have until March 31, 2027.
Open the official source: Simpler Recycling: workplace recycling in England
They require food businesses in Scotland to separate food waste for collection.
Since April 6, 2024, all workplaces in Wales must separate food and other recyclables. Sending food waste to the sewer is banned.
Open the official source: Workplace recycling regulations (Wales)
Law on industrial and domestic waste: the legal framework for managing waste, amended several times, most recently in 2020.
Open the official source: Sənaye və məişət tullantıları haqqında Qanun (514-IQ)
Food businesses must reduce and recycle their food waste, with recycling targets by sector.
Open the official source: Food Recycling Law (Act No. 116 of 2000)
Framework law in force since September 1, 2020, built on the waste hierarchy, extended producer responsibility and "polluter pays".
Open the official source: Waste Management Framework Law No. 16 of 2020
Regulates every waste activity, from collection and sorting to treatment and disposal. Waste management activities need a license from the National Center for Waste Management.
Open the official source: Waste Management Law (Royal Decree No. M/3, 1443 AH)
Direct landfilling of food waste has been banned since 2005. Since 2013, households pay for food waste by volume or weight, in many places with RFID bins.
Open the official source: Food waste landfill ban and volume-based food waste fees
Federal framework for integrated waste management, with Cabinet Resolution No. 39 of 2021 as its executive regulation.
Open the official source: Federal Law No. 12 of 2018 on Integrated Waste Management
National target to halve the organic waste sent to landfill by 2030.
Open the official source: National Waste Policy Action Plan 2019
From July 1, 2026, businesses and institutions that serve food need a separate food organics collection, phased in by size, largest first. Households get food and garden organics collection by July 1, 2030.
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