A coalition of composters, waste haulers and local waste-management organizations has formed to oppose efforts to allow compostable packaging and foodservice products as feedstocks for compost used in organic agriculture. The dispute highlights competing priorities in the effort to expand compostable packaging while protecting the quality and marketability of organic compost.

The Safer Soils for All Coalition launched November 10, bringing together organizations including the California Compost Coalition, Recology, Republic Services, Waste Connections, WM and the Resource Recovery Coalition of California. The group opposes efforts by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) to secure federal approval for compostable products made from synthetic materials.

The issue centers on a 2023 BPI petition asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise its organic regulations to allow compostable products meeting specified ASTM standards to be accepted as compost feedstocks. BPI argues that the change would help divert packaging from landfills, support the compostable-products industry and provide greater consistency for composting programs.

However, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted unanimously in January 2026 against adding broad categories of synthetic compostable materials to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. The board concluded that the materials did not meet the criteria for necessity, environmental and human health protection, and compatibility with sustainable agriculture. It left open the possibility of evaluating individual substances or more limited applications.

Composters opposing the broader allowance cite concerns about contamination, particularly when consumers mistake conventional plastic packaging for compostable products. Some facilities report that accepting compostable packaging can increase the amount of non-compostable material entering their systems. The coalition also argues that laboratory compostability standards do not necessarily reflect conditions at commercial facilities. ASTM testing protocols can allow up to 84 days for disintegration or 180 days for biodegradation, while commercial composting operations may process material in approximately 30 to 60 days.

BPI has continued pressing USDA to pursue rulemaking despite the NOSB vote, arguing that a broad regulatory change would be more practical than requiring individual petitions for the many materials used in compostable products.

USDA is considering options for updating its compost regulations. The federal regulatory agenda lists a potential advance notice of proposed rulemaking for January 2027, including options to implement BPI’s petition, follow NOSB recommendations or distinguish intentional additions from unintended contamination. The timetable is preliminary and does not represent a final USDA decision.

The outcome could affect composters seeking to serve organic farms, packaging manufacturers and food businesses investing in compostable materials, as well as the standards governing which inputs can enter organic production systems.

Sources:

Wallace, Jacob. 2026. “Coalition Forms to Protect Organic Compost from Packaging Push.” Waste Dive, November 10.

National Organic Standards Board. 2026. “Synthetic Compostable Polymers.” January 2026 meeting materials.

U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. 2026. “Compost Production for Organic Agriculture,” RIN 0581-AE57. Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.