Gitnux/Report 2026

Compost Industry Statistics

The global composting market was valued at $5.6 billion in 2020, explore the compost figures on growth, companies and trends.
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November 11, 2026Updated
Compost Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published ·Updated
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The compost industry at a glance

Global composting demand and capacity keep expanding under landfill diversion rules, soil-health demand and organics infrastructure investment. U.S. composting handled 23.0 million metric tons of waste in 2022, while the global market was valued at $5.6B in 2020 and projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2027.

$5.6B[15]
Global market size, 2020
33.9%[15]
Forecast growth to 2027
23.0M metric tons[15]
U.S. waste composted, 2022
3,000–5,000[15]
U.S. composting facilities
Market size
The global composting market was valued at $5.6 billion in 2020, according to an EPA financial assessment that cites market research, and was projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2027. In the United States, 23.042 million metric tons of waste were composted in 2022.[15]
Forecast & CAGR
The cited global forecast implies 33.9% total growth between 2020 and 2027, equivalent to approximately 4.3% annualized growth. U.S. composting infrastructure is also expanding: survey data cited by EPA found a 55% increase in facilities and an 83% increase in tonnage processed between 2016 and 2021.[15]
Market share & regions
In Europe, agriculture represented 48% of compost use in a European Commission market assessment, with 5.02 million tonnes allocated to that segment. A separate European Compost Network estimate identifies agriculture as 50% of the market, followed by landscapers, the general public and topsoil blenders at 9% each.[78][79]
Segmentation
U.S. compost feedstocks are led by yard waste at 3.03 million tons in the 2023 USCC survey, followed by biosolids at 1.46 million tons, commingled yard and food waste at 483,585 tons, food scraps at 643,528 tons and agricultural manure at 337,386 tons. Products are commonly sold as compost, mulch, soil blends and other soil-amendment materials.[12][28]
Key players & concentration
The U.S. industry remains geographically fragmented, with approximately 3,000–5,000 facilities and national waste companies competing with regional composters, municipal operators and biosolids specialists. Circular Services reported that its 2025 Atlas Organics acquisition added eight composting sites and brought its recycling and organics network to more than 35 facilities.[15][80]
Pricing
Washington State’s 2025 compost market study reported average retail pricing of $34 per cubic yard for manure/agriculture compost, $62 for organic compost in its central region and $55–$75 for non-organic compost in the same region. European Commission analysis reported a medium agricultural compost price of €4 per tonne, while noting that gate fees are often needed for bulk compost economics to cover production costs.[56][78]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is being driven by landfill restrictions, mandatory organics collection, soil-health demand and public investment in processing capacity. California estimated that 9.6 million tons of composting capacity would be needed in 2025 versus 5.3 million tons of anticipated capacity, leaving a projected 4.3-million-ton gap.[15][57]
Consumer behavior & competition
Demand comes from agriculture, landscaping, horticulture, municipalities and household gardeners. In the Washington State 2025 pricing survey, compost-and-soil blends ranged from $23.27 to $93 per cubic yard depending on region and product, illustrating strong competition among bulk suppliers and differentiated blends.[79][56]
M&A
Consolidation accelerated in 2024–2025. Convertus acquired Freestate Farms in April 2024, adding a Virginia facility capable of processing 80,000–100,000 tons annually; Circular Services acquired Atlas Organics in November 2025, adding eight composting sites; and Denali acquired Wallace Farm in May 2025, adding two North Carolina facilities.[28][80][81]
Regulation
California’s SB 1383 requires statewide organic-waste collection and recycling, with a 2025 target requiring an estimated 25.0 million tons of organics recovery. CalRecycle’s capacity analysis estimated that approximately 18.0 million tons would need processing through composting, anaerobic digestion or chipping and grinding, including 9.6 million tons specifically for composting.[57]
Latest news
The most recent major industry transaction identified was Circular Services’ November 5, 2025 acquisition of Atlas Organics, an operator with eight composting sites. In October 2026, AP reported continuing growth in private food-scrap collection services for households without municipal curbside programs, indicating ongoing expansion of decentralized collection models.[80][60]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Compost Industry

The leading companies in the compost industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Denali stands out for producing compost, mulch and soils at scale because it produced 2.53 billion pounds in 2025, while Republic Services focuses on organics recycling and composting since it processed 1.1 million tons and sold 0.4 million tons in 2025.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in compost and soil products

    Denali

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.0 · Compost and soil products

    Why we picked it: Denali’s organic recycling and compost products are quantified at 2.53 billion pounds in 2025 for the U.S.

    See in ranking ↓Visit denalicorp.com ↗

  2. Leader in organics recycling and composting

    Republic Services

    US

    Ranked #2 · 8.8 · Organics recycling and composting

    Why we picked it: Republic Services’ organics recycling and composting results track both processed tonnage and product sales in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit republicservices.com ↗

  3. Leader in in-vessel and windrow composting

    Envar Composting Group

    GB

    Ranked #3 · 8.7 · In-vessel and windrow composting

    Why we picked it: Envar’s UK footprint centers on in-vessel and windrow composting at a major integrated facility scale.

    See in ranking ↓Visit envar.co.uk ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the compost industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Denali

Compost and soil products · US

9.0
2

Republic Services

Organics recycling and composting · US

8.8
3

Envar Composting Group

In-vessel and windrow composting · GB

8.7
4

Agromin

Organic waste processing · US

8.7
5

Veolia

Waste treatment composting · FR

8.6
6

SUEZ

Biowaste collection and composting, global · FR

8.5
7

Worm Power

Controlled-environment vermicomposting, United States · US

8.4
8

A1 Organics

Commercial composting and soil products, Colorado · US

8.0
9

McGill Environmental Systems

Industrial compost manufacturing, US and Ireland · US

8.0
10

Renewi

Organic waste recycling and biowaste processing, Europe · GB

7.8

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Top 10 companies in the compost industry. In Compost Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/compost-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Projection

Compost produced (Washington)

Compost produced fell from 2.6M cubic yards in 2019 to 2.4M cubic yards in 2023.

2.6M cubic yards
Start
-2.29%
CAGR · 4y
2.4M cubic yards
Projected
20192023
source-verifiedapps.ecology.wa.gov2023

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Compost-monitoring work in Tennessee targets $3–$4 per unit battery-free RFID sensors and plans five composting cycles at two facilities in 2026–2027.

AI in the compost industry

  • $3–$4 per unit is the target cost for battery-free RFID sensors in a 2026–2027 intelligent compost-monitoring project in Tennessee, United States.[1]
  • $362,000 was awarded in 2026 to develop an automated compost-monitoring system using AI robots, sensors, drones and machine-learning analytics in Tennessee, United States.[2]
  • 80–90% lower cost than existing sensor solutions is expected from the low-cost RFID sensors being developed for compost monitoring in Tennessee, United States.[1]
  • 5 composting cycles at 2 Tennessee facilities are planned to validate an RFID-, drone- and machine-learning-based compost-monitoring system during 2026–2027.[1]
  • 6 machine-learning application areas were identified in a 2023 review of composting research: emissions prediction, process optimization, maturity prediction, moisture monitoring, enzymatic-activity estimation and maturity classification.[3]

Automation in the compost industry

  • 278 composting-technology patents were filed by China during 2000–2021, representing 60.83% of the reviewed patent set.[4]
  • 19 composting-technology patents were filed by Canada during 2000–2021, representing 4.16% of the reviewed patent set.[4]
  • 22 composting-technology patents were filed by Japan during 2000–2021, representing 4.81% of the reviewed patent set.[4]
  • 23 composting-technology patents were filed by the United States during 2000–2021, representing 5.03% of the reviewed patent set.[4]
  • 49 composting-technology patents were filed by South Korea during 2000–2021, representing 10.72% of the reviewed patent set.[4]
  • 42 patents for fully automated composting technology were filed in 2021 worldwide, compared with 14 for partially automated and 20 for manual technologies.[4]

Digital Transformation in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 51% of global waste and recycling companies planned to evolve and invest in IT architecture during 2024, according to an industry benchmark survey.[5]
  • 60% of global waste and recycling organizations identified resistance to change as their largest digital-implementation challenge in 2024.[5]
  • 61% of German waste-management firms relied on digital technology for dispatching and logistics.[6]
  • 72% of surveyed UK environmental-services organizations expected the pace of digital transformation to accelerate over the following three to five years.[7]
  • 66% of German waste-management firms planned to increase their engagement with digitalization in the future.[6]

Technology Adoption in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 20.3% of environmental-industry projects used remote sensors or monitors in 2023.[8]
  • 47.4% of environmental-industry projects used mapping, modeling and visualization technologies in 2023.[8]
  • 52.5% of environmental-industry projects used IT systems and software in 2023, compared with 52.2% in 2020.[8]
  • 34.3% of environmental-industry projects used analytical or monitoring technology in 2023.[8]
  • 19.1% of environmental-industry projects used satellite technology in 2023.[8]

Cloud Computing in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 39.52% to 62.11% of enterprises across most EU economic sectors used paid cloud-computing services in 2025; water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation recorded the largest year-on-year increase.[9]
  • 30.12% of EU enterprises using paid cloud services purchased cloud-based enterprise-resource-planning applications in 2025.[9]
  • About 50% of surveyed German waste-management firms considered cloud computing already relevant or relevant within the following five years.[6]
  • 45.52% of EU enterprises using paid cloud services hosted their databases in the cloud in 2025.[9]
  • 30% of sustainability-services clients used cloud technology in engagements, based on a global study of more than 22,000 clients.[10]

Big Data in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 57% of respondents across environmental, civil, mining and energy organisations identified unmanaged historical data as an organisational challenge in 2023.[11]
  • 21% of environmental-industry respondents said they lacked enough information to make strong data-driven decisions in the 2023 global Geoscience Data Management Survey.[11]
  • 30% of German waste-management-firm respondents used real-time data transmission to offices and 14% were implementing it in the 2021 industry survey.[6]
  • 43% of German waste-management-firm respondents used monitoring of container filling levels, while 13% were implementing it, in the 2021 industry survey.[6]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data handling remains operationally heavy: across waste and recycling organizations, 79% still export operational data into Excel and 66% spend at least 10 hours per week manually compiling reports.

Business intelligence in the compost industry

  • 68% of surveyed U.S. composting facilities sold compost into landscaping markets in 2021.[12]
  • 55% was the increase in active U.S. composting facilities between 2016 and 2021.[12]
  • Nearly 50% of U.S. full-scale food-waste composting facilities were located in seven states in 2023.[13]
  • Just under 10% of organics reported by surveyed U.S. composting facilities were processed in the Northeast in 2021.[14]
  • 200 full-scale food-waste composting facilities operated across 39 U.S. states in 2023.[13]
  • 83% was the increase in tonnage processed by surveyed U.S. composting facilities between 2016 and 2021.[12]

Data analytics in the compost industry

  • 15.8 was the mean carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of nearly 100 U.S. compost samples made partly from wasted food.[15]
  • Less than 10% of U.S. composting facilities surveyed by EREF used in-vessel systems in the reported survey dataset.[15]
  • 85% of feedstock contamination by volume at studied U.S. composting facilities came from conventional plastics in 2024.[13]
  • 0.5% by weight is California’s limit for physical contaminants larger than 4 millimeters in finished compost.[15]
  • 10 compost manufacturers participated in the Composting Consortium’s U.S. contamination dataset in 2024.[13]
  • 0.90% was the mean potassium content of nearly 100 U.S. compost samples made partly from wasted food in the EPA-cited study.[15]

Data Quality in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across supply-management organizations, 23% spend at least 21% of their time cleaning data, according to a 2024 survey of more than 121 respondents.[16]
  • Across waste and recycling organizations, 79% still export operational data into Excel, based on a survey of 154 industry leaders in 2025.[17]
  • Across supply-management organizations, 49% rate their data quality as good or excellent in a 2024 survey of more than 121 respondents.[16]
  • Across supply-management organizations, 67% say their data quality is better or significantly better than two years earlier, according to a 2024 survey.[16]
  • Across waste and recycling organizations, 66% spend at least 10 hours per week manually compiling reports, based on a 2025 survey of 154 industry leaders.[17]

Data Governance in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across organizations globally, 65% report that data governance is in place only at an initial, lower-maturity stage, according to DATAVERSITY’s 2024 survey.[18]
  • Across supply-management organizations with a data-governance function, 47% house it in a center of excellence, according to a 2024 survey.[16]
  • Across supply-management organizations, 61% have a dedicated data-governance function, according to a 2024 survey of more than 121 respondents.[16]
  • Across organizations globally, 32.1% report having a formal data- and analytics-governance organization in place, while 67.9% report none, in the 2024 study.[19]
  • Across supply-management organizations, 81% find their data-governance program useful, according to a 2024 survey of more than 121 respondents.[16]

KPIs in the compost industry

  • 2.9 employees per 10,000 tons was the average labor intensity at large surveyed U.S. composting facilities in 2021.[12]
  • 80% of revenue came from tipping fees at large surveyed U.S. composting facilities in 2021.[12]
  • 42% of surveyed U.S. composting facilities used windrows as their composting method in 2021.[12]
  • About one-third of compost produced by surveyed U.S. facilities was sold for agricultural purposes in 2021.[12]
  • 31.2% was the modeled average diversion rate for centralized composting in the ReFED methodology.[20]
  • 76% of 529 assessed permit or regulation clauses were classified as in or out of compliance in British Columbia’s 2023 composting audit.[21]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Reported U.S. scale is visible in outputs such as 23,042 kilotons composted in 2022 and 6,002,260 tons of finished compost reported by surveyed U.S. facilities in 2023.

Growth in the compost industry

  • 6,002,260 tons of finished compost were reported by surveyed U.S. facilities in 2023.[12]
  • 11% was the increase in the number of surveyed U.S. composting facilities between 2019 and 2021.[12]
  • 23,042 kilotons of waste were composted in the United States in 2022, up from 3,810 kilotons in 1990.[15]
  • 55% was the increase in U.S. composting-facility numbers between 2016 and 2021, rising from roughly 3,000 to more than 5,000 facilities.[15]
  • 245 tons of food scraps were composted by Chickadee Compost in Maine in 2024.[22]
  • 16% was the increase in tonnage processed by surveyed U.S. composting facilities between 2019 and 2021.[12]

Differentiation in the compost industry

  • 4 high-quality composted products are manufactured at WM’s South Valley facility in California, including WM Yield, WM Premium and WM Ag Compost.[23]
  • 3 product categories—compost, mulch and soil amendments—are produced at Convertus Manassas from green-bin waste.[24]
  • 500 tons per day is the processing capacity of WM’s Altamont covered aerated static-pile facility in California.[25]
  • 15 million dollars was the cost to permit and build WM’s Altamont composting facility.[25]
  • 156,000 tons of material are scheduled for annual diversion and processing at WM’s Altamont composting facility.[25]
  • 80,000 tons of green-bin waste are converted annually into compost, mulch and soil amendments at Convertus Manassas.[24]

Mergers and acquisitions in the compost industry

  • 2.3 million pounds sterling was the consideration paid by Biffa for the Ardley in-vessel composting facility and related assets.[26]
  • 4.2 billion dollars was the approximate 2023 acquisition spending by publicly traded waste and recycling companies in the United States and Canada.[27]
  • 80,000 to 100,000 tons per year is the organic-waste capacity of Convertus’ Freestate Farms facility acquired in Manassas, Virginia.[28]
  • 1 was the number of U.S. composting facilities operated by Convertus immediately after acquiring the Manassas facility.[28]
  • 10 million pounds sterling was the maximum additional performance-based payment attached to Biffa’s 2024 acquisition of Keenan Recycling.[26]
  • 40 industrial and municipal customers were served by Liberty Composting before Synagro acquired the company.[29]

Strategic partnerships in the compost industry

  • 1,400 metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions were estimated to be avoided by processing 30.8 million pounds of wasted food in Divert’s first partnership year.[30]
  • 542,000 dollars was provided by Zero Foodprint’s Compost Connector program in 2024 toward purchasing compost.[31]
  • 30.8 million pounds of wasted food were processed during the first year of Divert’s partnership described in 2023 reporting.[30]
  • 15 farm projects received compost-spreading support through Zero Foodprint’s partnership with San Pasqual Valley Soils in 2024.[31]
  • 8,108 acres benefited from compost procurement funded through Zero Foodprint’s Compost Connector program in 2024.[31]
  • 35,592 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent were estimated to be sequestered through Zero Foodprint’s 2024 Compost Connector projects.[31]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce coverage differs by geography and program model, with 248 total estimated full-time-equivalent jobs associated with Minnesota’s compost industry in 2023.

Hiring in the compost industry

  • 248 total estimated full-time-equivalent jobs were associated with Minnesota’s compost industry in 2023.[32]
  • 21 induced compost-industry-supported jobs were estimated in the Twin Cities metropolitan area in 2023.[32]
  • 43 direct compost-industry jobs were estimated in Minnesota’s Twin Cities metropolitan area in 2023.[32]
  • 47 induced jobs were estimated to be supported by Minnesota’s compost industry in 2023.[32]
  • 24 dynamic compost-industry jobs were estimated in Greater Minnesota in 2023.[32]

Remote Work in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. workers with teleworkable jobs, 32% worked from home all the time in October 2024.[33]
  • Across U.S. workers with teleworkable jobs, 25% rarely or never worked from home in October 2024.[33]
  • Across U.S. workers with teleworkable jobs, 43% worked from home most or some of the time in October 2024.[33]
  • Across U.S. workers with teleworkable jobs, 14% worked from home all the time before the COVID-19 outbreak, according to retrospective 2024 responses.[33]

Hybrid Work in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs, 61% preferred hybrid work when surveyed in November 2025.[34]
  • Among U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs, 52% expected hybrid work as their long-term arrangement in May 2026.[34]
  • Among U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs, 6% preferred working on-site when surveyed in November 2025.[34]
  • Among U.S. employees with remote-capable jobs, 54% worked in a hybrid arrangement in August 2026.[34]

Upskilling in the compost industry

  • 4 compost-operator training events were listed for August and October 2026 by Engineered Compost Systems.[35]
  • 5 days of composting-operations and compost-use training are required for USCC Certified Composting Professional applicants.[36]
  • 150+ courses are offered through Compost University for composting and organics-recycling professionals.[12]
  • 5 days is the duration of the Washington Organics and Recycling Council’s Compost Facility Operator Training.[37]
  • 1 training module related to the Composting For All statement is required for each USCC committee member.[38]

Employee Engagement in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across global employees, 20% were engaged at work in 2025.[34]
  • At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 84% of employees said in 2024 that they knew what was expected of them on the job.[15]
  • Across U.S. employees, 31% were engaged at work in 2025, compared with 20% globally.[34]
  • At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 81% of employees were positive on the 2024 Employee Engagement Index.[15]
  • Across U.S. employees, 17% were actively disengaged at work in 2025.[34]

DEI in the compost industry

  • 25% of community-compost operations reported zero BIPOC employees in 2022.[39]
  • 6 meetings per year are the minimum required for USCC’s Composting For All Committee.[38]
  • 3 community-compost operations reported staffs that were 100% BIPOC in 2022.[39]
  • 27% of community-compost census respondents had a diversity statement in 2022.[39]
  • 75% of the 48 reporting community-compost operations employed BIPOC staff in 2022.[39]

Change Management in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. employees surveyed in 2025, 24% agreed that organizational change was executed in a way that made it easy to embrace.[40]
  • Across U.S. employees surveyed in 2025, 27% agreed that their organization was prioritizing the right change.[40]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Demand shows up in access and repeat purchase behavior, including 400 municipally supported residential food-waste collection programs providing access across 710 U.S. communities in 2023.

Customer experience in the compost industry

  • 400 municipally supported residential food-waste collection programs provided customer access across 710 U.S. communities in 2023.[14]
  • 95% of Upcycle compost-site customers were very satisfied with product quality in 2024, up from 90% in 2023 across the company’s operating markets.[41]
  • 74% of Seattle respondents rated organics pickup at the highest satisfaction level, 7 out of 7, in 2018.[42]
  • 4.5 out of 5 was Eugene residents’ average satisfaction score for garbage, recycling and yard-debris services in the city’s survey year.[43]
  • Nearly 60% of U.S. community-composting respondents handled more than 100,000 pounds of organic material in 2024.[44]

Customer retention in the compost industry

  • 95% of Upcycle compost customers were very satisfied with product quality in 2024, indicating strong reported service retention conditions.[41]
  • 81% of repeat U.S. community-composting respondents maintained or increased their commercial clientele from 2023 to 2024.[44]
  • 54% of 606 Lancaster County survey respondents composted at home or used a pickup composting service in the survey conducted for the county’s 2023 plan.[45]
  • 90% of Upcycle compost customers were very satisfied with product quality in 2023, before the score rose to 95% in 2024.[41]
  • 4% of Seattle residents not composting food scraps at home were estimated likely to begin within the next year in 2018.[42]

Customer acquisition in the compost industry

  • 105 California jurisdictions with populations of at least 44,000 were included in BioCycle’s 2023 access analysis following implementation of SB 1383.[14]
  • 42 residential food-waste collection programs operated in Minnesota in 2023, according to BioCycle’s nationwide access study.[14]
  • 50 residential food-waste collection programs operated in Illinois in 2023, the second-highest state total tracked by BioCycle.[14]
  • 49% of surveyed Queens residents participated in New York City curbside composting in 2026, identifying the reachable customer base for the program.[4]
  • 32.9% of Lancaster County respondents not already composting or using a service wanted to learn how to compost at home in 2023.[45]

Customer loyalty in the compost industry

  • 81% of repeat community composters maintained or increased their commercial clientele in the United States from 2023 to 2024.[44]
  • 42% of Eugene residents reported composting at home, with 78% of those composting food waste, in the city’s survey year.[43]
  • 1.1% of Lancaster County respondents seeking pickup service were willing to pay $20 to $35 per month in 2023.[45]
  • 6.5 out of 7 was Seattle’s average customer satisfaction score for food and yard-waste pickup in 2018.[42]
  • 75% of repeat community composters maintained or increased their residential clientele in the United States from 2023 to 2024.[44]

Lead generation in the compost industry

  • 248 U.S. curbside food-waste programs reported which materials they accepted in BioCycle’s 2023 access study.[14]
  • 23% was the response rate for BioCycle’s 2023 survey of municipally supported residential food-waste collection programs.[14]
  • 350 community composters were members of the Community Composter Coalition among the more than 450 organizations invited to the 2024 mini-census.[44]
  • 176 U.S. curbside food-waste programs accepted soiled paper and pizza boxes in BioCycle’s 2023 survey data.[14]
  • 85 U.S. residential food-waste collection programs completed BioCycle’s 2023 online survey.[14]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Market messaging and packaging recognition are measurable, with 49% of U.S. respondents in a compostable-packaging study reporting difficulty distinguishing biodegradable from compostable.

Marketing in the compost industry

  • 2.3 million tons of compost were sold to agricultural end markets in the United States, according to USCC industry survey data.[14]
  • 48% of Michigan survey respondents valued compost more highly than chemical soil additives.[46]
  • 2.6 million tons of compost were sold to commercial horticulture end markets in the United States, according to USCC industry survey data.[14]
  • 36% of Michigan survey respondents agreed that compost was more economical in the long run than commercial fertilizers or soil amendments.[46]
  • $4.00–$5.00 per cubic foot was the reported willingness-to-pay range for specialty seaweed compost among surveyed Texas gardeners in 2020.[47]

Digital marketing in the compost industry

  • 18,487 impressions were generated by the Illinois compost-bin giveaway campaign in May 2025.[48]
  • 22,047 LinkedIn engagements were generated by BPI’s compostable-products communications in 2024.[49]
  • 26,355 Instagram impressions were generated by BPI’s compostable-products communications in 2024.[49]
  • 3.88% was the click-through rate for the Illinois compost-bin giveaway campaign in May 2025.[48]
  • 15,422 total followers were recorded across BPI’s social-media accounts in 2024.[49]

Branding in the compost industry

  • 49% of U.S. respondents in a compostable-packaging study had difficulty distinguishing biodegradable from compostable.[13]
  • 70% of Australian respondents said they would look for compostable logos on everyday-product packaging after learning what the logos meant.[50]
  • 10% of Australian respondents could recognize industrially compostable and home-compostable logos before receiving explanations.[50]

Social media in the compost industry

  • 299 clicks were generated by a Facebook and Instagram compost-bin giveaway campaign in Illinois in May 2025.[48]
  • 3.88% was the click-through rate for a Facebook and Instagram compost-bin giveaway campaign in Illinois in May 2025.[48]
  • 300 posts were published across BPI’s social-media accounts in 2024.[49]
  • 566 Facebook engagements were generated by BPI’s account focused on municipalities and government agencies in 2024.[49]
  • 6,074 people were reached by a Facebook compost-bin giveaway campaign in Illinois in May 2025.[48]

Influencer Marketing in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 82% of B2B marketers who work with creators globally agreed in 2026 that influencer campaigns are essential for delivering measurable return on investment.[51]
  • 43% of surveyed B2B marketers reported outstanding results from their influencer programs in the 2025 global B2B Influencer Marketing Report.[52]
  • 55% of B2B marketers globally were already using influencers in 2025, while another 29% planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year.[53]
  • 58% of B2B marketing teams globally used an always-on influencer marketing approach in the 2025 B2B Influencer Marketing Report.[52]
  • 81% of B2B marketers using creators across five markets said in 2026 that reducing creator activity would leave revenue opportunities untapped.[51]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Operational throughput is constrained by contamination and equipment choices, with 85% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities citing physical contamination as an important issue in 2024.

Process optimization in the compost industry

  • 9 U.S. facilities purchased windrow turners during food-waste-processing upgrades in 2022.[14]
  • 10 of 200 U.S. food-waste composting facilities used covered aerated static piles in 2022.[14]
  • 11 U.S. facilities purchased larger loader buckets during food-waste-processing upgrades in 2022.[14]
  • 8 U.S. facilities installed air classifiers on compost screens during food-waste-processing upgrades in 2022.[14]
  • 11 of 200 U.S. food-waste composting facilities used both windrows and aerated static piles in 2022.[14]

Operational efficiency in the compost industry

  • U.S. active composting facilities increased 39% between 2016 and 2019, while reported tonnage processed increased 57%.[14]
  • The 2023 U.S. Compost Throughput Survey represented more than 263 facilities across 40 states.[12]
  • About one-third of U.S. compost facilities accepted only one feedstock in 2021.[14]
  • Just under 80% of U.S. compost facilities accepted yard trimmings in 2021.[14]
  • Southeast-region facilities managed about 30% of organics reported processed by U.S. respondents in 2021.[14]

Quality management in the compost industry

  • 85% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities considered physical contamination an important operational issue in 2024.[12]
  • About 49% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities considered chemical contamination an important operational issue in 2024.[12]
  • More than 50% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities rejected less than 1% of incoming loads in 2024.[12]
  • 55% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities considered air quality an important operational issue in 2024.[12]
  • 82% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities considered labor an important operational issue in 2024.[12]

Supply chain in the compost industry

  • U.S. compost sold for about $10 per cubic yard on average in 2023.[15]
  • Food waste represented about 644,000 inbound tons at 263 U.S. compost facilities in 2023.[14]
  • Commingled yard trimmings and food waste represented about 484,000 inbound tons at 263 U.S. compost facilities in 2023.[14]
  • U.S. compost facilities recovered $73.3 million of phosphorus value in compost manufactured in 2023.[14]
  • At least 16% of U.S. composting facilities accepted wasted food in 2023.[15]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the environmental and waste services sector (sector benchmark)

  • 100% of companies surveyed globally in 2024 were outsourcing at least one element of sustainability management.[54]
  • 66% of companies surveyed globally in 2024 were outsourcing facilities or utility management.[54]
  • 40% of companies surveyed globally in 2024 were delegating waste management to specialized partners, while 33% were considering it.[54]
  • 56% of companies surveyed globally in 2024 were using performance contracts for sustainability-related services.[54]
  • U.S. waste treatment and disposal services cross-border exports totaled $17 million in 2021, compared with $3.6 billion in foreign-affiliate sales.[55]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Pricing remains segmented, with Washington State 2025 averages reported at $34 per cubic yard for manure/agriculture compost and $62 per cubic yard for organic compost in the central region.

Pricing strategy in the compost industry

  • $39 per cubic yard was the 2025 northwest-region price for a vegetable-garden compost blend in Washington State.[56]
  • $19.31–$32.04 per cubic yard was the 2025 eastern-region price range for non-organic compost in Washington State.[56]
  • $26.95 per cubic yard was the 2025 southwest-region price for a compost-and-soil lawn mix in Washington State.[56]
  • $55–$75 per cubic yard was the 2025 central-region price range for non-organic compost in Washington State.[56]
  • $62 per cubic yard was the 2025 central-region price for organic compost in Washington State.[56]

Cost reduction in the compost industry

  • Plastic represented up to 85% by volume of physical contamination reported at composting facilities in the cited study.[15]
  • $5.37–$16.11 per ton was the cited labor-cost range for handling composting feedstock, depending on method, equipment and local labor rates.[15]
  • $750,000–$15 million was the reported annual operating-cost range across surveyed California organics-processing facilities, including composting operations.[57]
  • 21% of composting-facility operating costs was associated with removing physical contaminants in the cited contamination study.[15]

Profitability in the compost industry

  • 10% was the assumed minimum profit on costs in a 2026 southeastern Spain agricultural-waste composting feasibility analysis.[4]
  • 26% of Washington State composting-industry gross revenue was attributed to private facilities in the cited assessment.[15]
  • $43.19 per inbound ton was the projected 2025 net revenue in Boulder County’s second compost-facility scenario.[58]
  • $11.82 per inbound cubic yard was the projected 2025 net revenue in Boulder County’s second scenario.[58]
  • $47.7 million was the estimated gross revenue of Washington State’s composting industry in the cited assessment.[15]

Financial planning in the compost industry

  • 231,000 inbound cubic yards per year was the modeled 2025 throughput for each Boulder County scenario.[58]
  • $13.66 per cubic yard was Boulder County’s modeled 2025 gate rate in scenario 1.[58]
  • $1.9–$2.3 million was the estimated 2025 annual operating-cost range for Boulder County’s centralized compost facility, depending on scenario.[58]
  • $3.598 million was the modeled 2025 annual gate-rate revenue in Boulder County’s second scenario.[58]
  • $18.48 per cubic yard was Boulder County’s modeled 2025 gate rate in scenario 3.[58]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Finished product volumes and distribution routes are tracked across market channels, including 360,135.6 tons of compost distributed to erosion-control, stormwater-management and transportation projects in 2023.

Product development in the compost industry

  • 14.4 million tons of feedstocks entered 263 surveyed U.S. composting facilities in 2023.[14]
  • 2 million tonnes of certified compost were produced annually under the United Kingdom’s Compost Certification Scheme in 2024.[59]
  • 1 certified manufactured-topsoil ingredient product was recorded in the United Kingdom’s principal compost-product grade in 2024.[59]
  • 644,000 tons of food waste were processed by surveyed U.S. composting facilities in 2023.[14]
  • 4,713 composting facilities operated in the United States, including about 230 processing food scraps, in 2023.[12]

Product lifecycle in the compost industry

  • 90 days was the minimum curing period used by AgRecycle after screening in Pittsburgh in 2026.[14]
  • 3,000–5,000 composting facilities were estimated to exist in the United States in 2025.[15]
  • 6 months was the active windrow-composting phase reported by Brooks Compost Facility in the United States in 2026.[14]
  • 6.9 jobs were supported per 10,000 tons of organics processed by surveyed U.S. compost facilities.[15]
  • 4.2 jobs were supported per 10,000 tons processed by Maryland’s compost industry.[15]

After-sales in the compost industry

  • 230 of 400 municipally supported residential food-waste collection programs in the United States offered curbside pickup in 2023.[60]
  • 8 Sprouts Farmers Market locations in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region were serviced by Compost Crew in 2024.[61]
  • 24,999 tons of organic material were diverted from landfills by Full Circle Compost in Nevada in 2024.[62]
  • 2 soil returns per year were included with Crown Town Compost household subscriptions in Charlotte in 2022.[63]
  • 12 years was the reported duration of Compost Crew’s service to the Frederick County, Maryland, community by 2025.[64]

Value proposition in the compost industry

  • 360,135.6 tons of compost were distributed to erosion-control, stormwater-management and transportation projects by surveyed U.S. producers in 2023.[12]
  • 600,226 tons of compost were sold directly to the public or retail markets by surveyed U.S. producers in 2023.[12]
  • 78% was the reported reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions when food waste was composted and land-applied rather than landfilled in the United States.[15]
  • 27 U.S. states had adopted soil-health programs or policies by 2024, representing 57% of national farmland.[65]
  • 2,400,904 tons of compost were distributed to commercial horticulture by surveyed U.S. producers in 2023.[12]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Emissions and feedstock-handling rules show measurable outcomes, including 1.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from nitrous oxide emissions from U.S. composting in 2024.

Sustainability in the compost industry

  • 6.2 jobs were created per 10,000 tons managed by community composting programs in Southeast Michigan.[15]
  • 60% of surveyed U.S. composting facilities used windrow composting in 2022.[66]
  • 23% of surveyed U.S. composting facilities accepted compostable food-service ware and packaging in 2022.[66]
  • 79% of surveyed U.S. composting facilities accepted yard waste in 2022.[66]
  • 51% of surveyed U.S. composting facilities accepted food waste in 2022.[66]

ESG in the compost industry

  • 360,135.6 tons of surveyed USCC facilities’ finished compost went to erosion control, stormwater management and transportation projects in 2023.[12]
  • 25% of USCC compost-manufacturer members responded to the 2020 environmental-impact survey.[12]
  • 142 respondents representing more than 263 facilities in 40 states completed the 2023 USCC environmental-impact survey.[12]
  • 3,034,329.875 tons of yard waste were processed by surveyed USCC facilities in 2023.[12]
  • 2,160,813.6 tons of surveyed USCC facilities’ finished compost went to agriculture in 2023.[12]

Circular economy in the compost industry

  • 60,022.6 tons of surveyed USCC facilities’ finished compost went to environmental remediation in 2023.[12]
  • 240,090.4 tons of surveyed USCC facilities’ finished compost went to turfgrass management in 2023.[12]
  • 483,584.895 tons of commingled yard and food waste were processed by surveyed USCC facilities in 2023.[12]
  • 337,386.3844 tons of agricultural manure were processed by surveyed USCC facilities in 2023.[12]
  • 23,378 kilotons of waste were composted in the United States in 2024.[67]

Carbon footprint in the compost industry

  • 1.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent came from nitrous oxide emissions from U.S. composting in 2024.[67]
  • 0.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent were emitted by U.S. composting in 1990.[67]
  • 5 times was the increase in U.S. composting emissions between 1990 and 2024.[67]
  • 68,985 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent were estimated as annual emissions from Miami-Dade’s planned 492,750-ton-per-year composting facility.[68]
  • 11–41 kilowatt-hours per metric ton was the modeled electricity demand range for operating a U.S. food-waste composting facility.[69]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

U.S. footprint is mapped in the 2023 throughput survey with 263 composting facilities across 40 states, alongside European scale in 2019.

Globalization in the compost industry

  • 60 million tonnes of bio-waste were treated through composting and anaerobic digestion in the EU27 in 2019.[76]
  • 263 U.S. composting facilities across 40 states were represented in the 2023 throughput survey.[14]
  • 3,400 composting plants treated 30.5 million tonnes of bio-waste in Europe, according to the European compost production study.[76]
  • 12.4 million tonnes of European bio-waste were aerobically digested in composting plants, according to the European compost production study.[76]
  • 71 million tonnes of separately collected bio-waste were treated through composting and anaerobic digestion across Europe in 2019.[76]

Cultural adaptation in the compost industry

  • 35% of urban U.S. respondents were familiar with curbside food-waste collection, compared with 25% of suburban and 20% of rural respondents in 2026.[77]
  • 37% of urban U.S. respondents were familiar with using a community-garden bin for composting, compared with 31% of suburban and 33% of rural respondents in 2026.[77]
  • 62% of urban U.S. respondents were familiar with home composting, compared with 67% of suburban and 67% of rural respondents in 2026.[77]
  • 30% of U.S. adults said they could compost at home regardless of their familiarity with composting, according to 2026 research.[77]
  • 18% of urban U.S. respondents were familiar with subscription-based food-waste pickup, compared with 9% of suburban and 8% of rural respondents in 2026.[77]

Supplier management in the compost industry

  • 483,584.895 tons of commingled yard trimmings and food waste were accepted by surveyed U.S. compost facilities in 2023.[12]
  • 80% of U.S. composting facilities processed yard trimmings in the 2021 industry survey.[14]
  • 22,339.23188 tons of crop residues were accepted by surveyed U.S. compost facilities in 2023.[12]
  • 71% of U.S. facilities accepting food waste also accepted some form of compostable packaging in the 2022 infrastructure survey.[14]
  • 13,389.85489 tons of compostable food-service ware and packaging were accepted by surveyed U.S. compost facilities in 2023.[12]

Stakeholder management in the compost industry

  • 82% of community composting operations reported having active employees in 2024.[14]
  • 81% of repeat community-composter respondents maintained or increased their commercial clientele between 2023 and 2024.[44]
  • 544 workers were employed by community composting operations surveyed in 2024, including 319 full-time and 225 part-time workers.[14]
  • 730 U.S. Composting Council members received the 2023 compost throughput and environmental-impact survey.[12]
  • 17% was the increase in organic material handled by repeat community-composter respondents from 2023 to 2024.[44]

Distribution channels in the compost industry

  • 23% of compost sales by weight went to compost and mulch distributors in the 2024 U.S. survey.[38]
  • 2% of compost sales by weight went to golf courses in the 2024 U.S. survey.[38]
  • 32% of compost sales by weight went to agriculture in the 2024 U.S. composting-facility survey.[38]
  • 63% of surveyed U.S. compost facilities reported retail-direct sales as a market channel in 2024.[38]
  • 1% of compost sales by weight went to sod growers in the 2024 U.S. survey.[38]

Key questions about the compost industry

What is the global compost market size in the latest cited year?
The global composting market was valued at $5.6B in 2020, according to an EPA financial assessment citing market research.
How fast is the market projected to grow through 2027?
The cited forecast projects the global composting market to reach $7.5B by 2027, implying 33.9% total growth between 2020 and 2027.
Which companies lead the compost industry?
Denali stands out for producing compost, mulch and soils at scale because it produced 2.53 billion pounds in 2025, while Republic Services focuses on organics recycling and composting since it processed 1.1 million tons and sold 0.4 million tons in 2025.
What technology shifts are showing up in compost-monitoring and digital projects?
In Tennessee, an automated compost-monitoring system used for 2026–2027 validation plans includes RFID sensors, drones and machine-learning analytics with five composting cycles at two facilities.
How fragmented is the U.S. compost industry structure?
The U.S. compost industry is geographically fragmented, with approximately 3,000–5,000 facilities and competition from national waste companies, regional composters and municipal operators.
Where do U.S. compost feedstocks come from, and which category leads?
In the U.S., yard waste leads feedstocks at 3.03 million tons in the 2023 USCC survey.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 10). Compost Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/compost-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Compost Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 10 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/compost-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Compost Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/compost-industry-statistics.

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