Regulation of Compost Waste
This section is dedicated to providing information regarding the regulation of Compost Waste by State Water Resources Control Board and by Regional Water Quality Control Boards. The subjects covered under this section may be updated regularly. If you have any questions or suggestions about the regulation of Compost Waste, please inform us. The following subjects are addressed currently:
How
is Compost
Waste regulated?
California's
nine Regional
Water Quality
Control
Boards (RWQCBs)
may regulate
discharges
of waste
to land
at composting
facilities
by issuing
or waiving
waste discharge
requirements.
If managed
properly,
discharges
of green
waste, food
processing
waste, agricultural
waste, and
paper waste
do not pose
a significant
threat to
water quality.
To simplify and streamline
the regulatory
process,
and to provide
a consistent
framework,
the State
Water Resources
Control
Board (SWRCB),
in coordination
with the
CIWMB and
RWQCBs,
developed
an order
to waive
waste discharge
requirements
for these
types of
wastes.
What
is the function
of the order?
This order
imposes
performance-based
conditions
for protection
of surface
and ground
water, allowing
maximum
flexibility
to dischargers.
The order
also incorporates
by reference
the provisions
necessary
to regulate
storm water
discharges
from composting
operations
under the
federal
National Pollutant
Elimination
System (NPDES)
Stormwater
Program.
How
is a waiver
issued?
After RWQCBs
adoption
of the order,
persons
proposing
to discharge
or who are
currently
discharging
green waste,
agricultural
waste, food
processing
waste for
composting
will be
required
to submit
a report
of waste
discharge
to the appropriate
RWQCB. They
must also
submit either
a Notice
of Intent
to discharge
stormwater
in compliance
with the
terms and
conditions
of the general
NPDES permit
for stormwater
discharges
from industrial
facilities
(SWRCB Water
Quality
Order No.
91-13-DWQ)
or documentation
establishing
exemption
from requirement
for coverage
under the stormwater
permit,
together
with all
applicable
filing fees.
Once a discharger
submits
the required
information,
RWQCB staff
will administer
issuance
of the conditional
waiver.
A discharger
should retain
duplicate
copies of
the completed
forms which
accompany
the report
of waste
discharge
and application
for the
stormwater
permit.