Minnesota Composting Council
Follow us on Social Media
  • Home
  • About
    • Board Members and Staff
    • Committees
    • Advocacy
    • Newsletter
    • Contact Us
  • Membership
    • Renewing members
    • New MNCC Member
  • Events
    • Plate to Garden
    • International Compost Awareness Week
    • Compost Operators Training >
      • 2025 COT Presentations
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events >
      • 2023 Events
      • Kevin Tritz Memorial Golf Tournament
      • Compost Operators Training 2023
      • Compost QA/QC Systems
      • 2022 Events
  • Compost at Home
    • Prevent Wasted Food
    • Backyard Composting
    • Residential Collection & Drop-Off Programs
    • What is Compostable?
    • Find a compost site
  • Additional Resources
    • MNCC White Paper: Standardizing Compost
    • Research & Reports >
      • 2021 Economic Impact Studies
      • Carver County Grant Projects
    • Resources for Compost Sites
    • Tools to Implement Organics Recycling Programs
  • Compostable products
  • Kevin Tritz Memorial Fund
  • Job Opportunities
  • Residential Organics Recycling Toolkit

Monthly Newsletter


Recent Edition

Includes news, events, job opportunities, and updates on all things compost-related in Minnesota.
February 2026 | MNCC Newsletter
News, Information, Events, and Training

Minnesota Composting Council Newsletter - February 2026

 

This month brought the start of the legislative session in Minnesota. The US Composting Council hosted its national conference in Sacramento, California. The MNCC scheduled Plate to Garden events, created a Job Opportunities page on the website, and is monitoring updates on compost-related legislation in the State.


Read on for news, upcoming events, job opportunities. Do you have something you'd like to see included in next month's newsletter? Email Addie Morrisette.

Proposed changes to Minnesota compostable product labeling law

A new bill introduced in the Minnesota Senate on February 23rd proposed changes to the compostable product labeling law. Currently, the law (Minn. Stat. § 325E.046) states that effective Jan. 1, 2026 any product labeled 'compostable' in Minnesota must be certified for compostability by a third-party. The MNCC supported the passage of this law in 2023.


The new bill, SF3838/HF3649, would remove the third-party non-profit compostable product certification requirement and the requirement for the third-party organization to have it’s primary focus of operations around compostable products. These proposed changes will reduce the strength of the compostable product labeling law increasing confusion for customers and increasing contamination for composters. Read the bill's language here. The MNCC will continue to monitor the bill throughout the legislative session.

Updates on Packaging EPR

Shannon Pinc, an MNCC Board member, was selected to represent retailers of covered materials or a statewide trade association on the Packaging EPR Advisory Board.


The MPCA is currently seeking a new Advisory Board member representing a waste facility that receives and sorts covered materials and transfers them to another facility for reuse, recycling, or composting. Deadline to apply is Monday, March 16. Learn more here.


This month, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency released the Preliminary Assessment for the Packaging Waste

and Cost Reduction Act. The Preliminary Assessment includes initial information gathered by the Agency on organics recycling across the State.

The Minnesota Composting Council at COMPOST2026

Left to right: Dustin Montey (MNCC Board Member, Director of Dakota Prairie Composting), Erin Skelly (Dakota Prairie Compost Operations Manager), Mikala Larsen (City of Hopkins Sustainability Specialist), Addie Morrisette (MN GreenCorps member)

COMPOST2026 Conference Recordings

COMPOST 2026, the US Composting Council Conference, was hosted in Sacramento, California from February 2-5. Representatives from Minnesota attended sessions on the latest research, technologies, equipment, and policy in the composting industry.


The conference was an opportunity to connect with national industry leaders and fellow USCC Chapters. Experts shared about their strategies, challenges, and successes.

MN GreenCorps member Addie Morrisette at the USCC Chapter Soirée.

MNCC Board Chair honored as Solid Waste Administrator of the Year

Minnesota Composting Council Board Chair Marcus Zbinden was presented with the Mike Hanan Solid Waste Administrator of the Year Award. The Award was bestowed by the Solid Waste Administrators Association at their Winter Training on February 25th.

 

University Scholarship Applications Open

The Compost Research & Education (CREF) is now accepting applications for its 2026 University Scholarship Program. This scholarship supports undergraduate, Master's, and Ph.D. students in the U.S. conducting research in composting or compost use.


Scholarship Benefits:

  • $4,000 to support your compost research project
  • Invitation to present your findings at the U.S. Composting Council annual conference, COMPOST2027
  • Conference registration with associated travel expenses



Deadline for submission is April 15, 2026.

Read more and apply

2026 Plate to Garden Event Schedule


4/23: Dakota Prairie Composting

4/25: City of Hutchinson & Creekside Soils

4/29: Boston Scientific

5/2: Ramsey County

5/6: Boston Scientific

5/8: St. Paul School of Northern Lights

5/9: City of Plymouth

5/13: U.S. Bank

5/13: Boston Scientific - Arden Hills


Interested in scheduling an event? Contact Addie Morrisette. Learn more about the program here.

 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

The MNCC has a new Job Opportunities page on our website. Do you have a job posting to promote? Send it to [email protected].

 

Hennepin County - Multifamily Recycling Specialist


Hennepin County's Environment and Energy Department is seeking two Multifamily Recycling Specialists to co-lead the Multifamily Recycling Program. These positions will lead the county’s Multifamily Recycling Program and assist with other residential recycling programs. These positions will be primarily responsible for providing outreach, education, and technical assistance to facilitate waste reduction and recycling at multifamily households. These positions support objectives in the county’s Zero Waste and Climate Action plans.


Application deadline: March 6

Environmental Technician - Resource Renew

Join Resource Renew as a Full-Time Environmental Technician and immerse yourself in a dynamic role that champions sustainability and environmental stewardship. The Environmental Technician is responsible for the operation of the District's Household Hazardous Waste facility, supporting the Regional Hazardous Waste Program and facilitating mobile collection events. This position provides technical leadership in the proper collection, transportation and management of hazardous waste, and serves and supports the public, local businesses, regional programs and the District.

Application deadline: March 15

UPCOMING WEBINARS

March 4, 2026, 12 - 1:30 pm CT -

Compost Research and Education Foundation: From Policy to Practice: Municipal Compost Purchasing Programs in California and Washington


March 12, 2026, 1 - 2 pm CT -

MN Soil Health Coalition: Alex Udermann, Windrow Compost System

IN THE NEWS

Olmsted County compost program accepted into U.S. Composting Council's Standard for Testing Assurance Program

The Olmsted County Environmental Resources department is pleased to announce that the county's compost program has been formally accepted into the U.S. Composting Council's (USCC) Standard for Testing Assurance (STA) program. This designation reflects Olmsted County's commitment to producing a high-quality compost product through rigorous testing, monitoring, and quality control practices.

Read More

Ending Food Waste Within a Generation: Upcoming Project to Expand Compost Use

In September 2025, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), ReFED, WRAP Americas, the Ad Council, the US Composting Council (USCC), and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) formed a coalition to launch a five-year program, “Ending Food Waste Within a Generation,” to reduce wasted food and expand composting in the United States. This program will create systemic change by combining a national media campaign, compost market development, and local community capacity building.

Read More
 

Support Composting in Minnesota

Join or Renew MNCC Today

If you'd like an invoice for membership, please email us at [email protected]

 

Request for Submissions

If you have an article, event, idea, or event you'd like to share, please send your submissions to: Addie Morrisette at [email protected].

 

Follow MNCC on Social Media

See the latest news and events on Facebook:

Minnesota Composting Council

Follow MNCC on Instagram:

@mncompostingcouncil

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Minnesota Composting Council on YouTube

The Minnesota Composting Council is dedicated to the development, expansion,

and promotion of the composting industry based upon sound science,

principles of sustainability, and economic viability.

mncompostingcouncil.org
 

The Minnesota Composting Council is the MN State Chapter of the United States Composting Council. The Minnesota Composting Council received its non-profit status from the State of Minnesota in January 2013. It officially became the State Chapter of the United States Composting Council (USCC) in December 2013.  

 

Minnesota Composting Council | [email protected] | State of Minnesota, MN 55442 US

Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

Constant Contact

    Get the Newsletter in Your Inbox!

Subscribe to Newsletter

Browse the Archive

2026​​
  • February
  • January
2025
  • December
  • November
  • October
  • September​
MNCC Featured Partnerships
Picture

The MNCC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability (including vision or hearing disabilities) in its programs or activities. The MNCC will translate materials and/or make appropriate accommodations for any person to access its resources and effectively participate in its programs. ​

​Please contact us at [email protected] to request accommodations.
Read Full Notice of Non-Discrimination

MNCC

About Us

SUPPORT

Contact Us
US Composting Council

SERVICES

Advocacy
Events/Trainings​
Resources & Education
Submit a Job Opportunity

RESIDENTIAL ORGANICS RECYCLING TOOLKIT

Picture
Email : [email protected]        
Facebook logo
Follow us on Facebook for the latest news and events!