Compostable Plastics Task Force (CPTF)
Mission:
To provide an organizational structure that facilitates a dialog among plastics producers, product manufacturers, purchasers and consumers of compostable plastic products, recycling and organics recovery program managers, and composters. To influence the ongoing development of compostable plastics so that materials benefit the composting industry through increased organic waste capture, and don’t add undue burdens including non-compostability of materials and added residue disposal.
Goal:
To provide an organizational structure that facilitates a dialog among plastics producers, product manufacturers, purchasers and consumers, recycling program managers and composters. The Task Force will encourage composters to add their voice to the conversation so that end-of-life impacts can be considered as decisions are made about compostable plastics.
Organization:
The CPTF is an ad-hoc committee of the USCC that consists of a Leadership Team and 3 Working Groups. The leadership team includes co-chairs, Debra Darby and Michele Young, at-large members Matt Cotton and Scott Subler, and the facilitators of the 3 working groups.
The three working groups are:
- Labeling, identification and consumer outreach/education, co-facilitated by Jack Macy from the City of San Francisco, CA and Bridget Anderson from New York City
- Legislation and Enforcement, facilitated by Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, Washington, DC
- Compostability Standards and Operation Impacts, co-facilitated by Michele Riggs from Cedar Grove Composting, Seattle WA and Richard Gertman from Cascadia Consulting, San Jose, CA
Timeline and events:
January 2011:
- CORC supported development of a White Paper to lay out the issue regarding compostable plastics.
Click here to download document. - Compostable Plastics Symposium held at the USCC Conference in Sam Jose, CA.
Click here to see and hear the presentation and notes from the follow-up meeting.
January 2012:
- 2nd Compostable Plastics Symposium help at USCC Conference in Austin, TX.
Click here to see and hear the presentation.
April 2012:
- Progress report presented to Task Force meeting at BioCycle Conference in Portland, OR
January 2013
If you are interested in joining one of the working groups, click here.
Contact information:
Co Chairs:
Michele Young – Organics Manager
City of San Jose, Environmental Services
200 E. Santa Clara St. Tower 10
San Jose, Ca 95113
(408) 975-2519
FAX (408) 292-6212
Michele.Young@sanjoseca.gov
www.urbancompost.com
Matthew Cotton (acting)
Integrated Waste Management Consulting, LLC
19375 Lake City Road
Nevada City, CA 95959
(530) 265-4560
Fax (530) 903-4649
matt@mattcotton.com
www.mattcotton.com
Staff:
Cary Oshins
484-547-1521
Cary.oshins@compostingcouncil.org
