What’s New
Sept. 16, 2024 – Boulder County has reviewed the submitted compost facility feasibility study proposals and has selected Burns & McDonnell as the consulting vendor. Burns & McDonnell will bring valuable experience in local and national organics diversion projects, stakeholder outreach, data analysis, financial reviews, and facility planning and siting to this initial feasibility stage. The study is expected to be complete by the second quarter of 2025.
Introduction
Composting is important to Boulder County residents. This has been made clear since A1 Organics made changes to the materials they would accept at their facility last year. In response to community feedback and to support the county’s commitment to diverting waste from landfills, the county is exploring the viability of developing a local compost facility. Staff are examining potential locations and undertaking key assessments, which will help determine if a compost facility can move the county closer to its zero waste and climate action goals. “This is a new chapter for Boulder County’s compost facility efforts, stated County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann. “A local compost facility is an important step to help meet our carbon reduction goals. We can help residents, farmers, and businesses close the loop on organic materials in the county, diverting materials away from landfills, and cycling valuable nutrients back into the soil via finished compost.”
This exploration follows Boulder County’s successes in supporting and expanding access to decentralized, on-farm composting through a recently approved Land Use Code update and grants supporting small-scale on-farm composting projects. The county also recently launched the Boulder County Soil Health Initiative, which has $1 million in funding available for local agricultural producers using soil health strategies, including the application of finished compost. Finally, this compost facility exploration also comes after the spring 2023 changes in composting guidelines from the region’s compost processor, A1 Organics; these changes highlight the need for increased organics processing options.
Conversations with the public will play a significant role in this exploratory phase. Those interested in participating or following along with the county-led effort are encouraged to subscribe to the project’s email list, which will be used to communicate news and public engagement opportunities related to this project. This webpage and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page will be home to information shared by project staff.
Previous Compost Facility Efforts
In 2020, Boulder County submitted preliminary designs for building a compost facility at the old Rainbow Nursery (now county property) near the intersection of US 287 and Lookout Road in eastern Boulder County. In 2021, those plans were withdrawn from the review process and the county decided that a compost facility would not move forward at this location. Based on public input, it became evident that this location was unsuitable for several compelling reasons. Consequently, the Rainbow Tree Nursery site has been permanently removed from consideration. In addition, Boulder County is not exploring any County Parks and Open Space property for a compost facility.
Current Compost Facility Exploration Next Steps
“From previous efforts, we know that equitable community outreach must lead the way during this exploratory phase and all future project phases, “said project manager Meghan Wiebe. “We need conversations with our community to build long-term partnerships and to assist with providing direction for this project.”
The county’s compost facility project team is made up of cross-departmental staff from: Public Works; the Office of Sustainability, Climate Action, and Resiliency (OSCAR); the County Administrator; County Permitting & Planning (CPP); and, Parks and Open Space (POS). The project team is focused on several key activities in this initial phase of the project:
- Development of a Community Outreach Plan – For equitable involvement and collaboration with county residents to better understand needs and potential solutions.
- End Market/User Assessment – For better understanding who uses finished compost products, what products are being used, and the market need.
- Facility Financial & Operation Assessment -For evaluating financial viability and operational aspects like accepted materials and processing technologies.
- Site Exploration – For assessing potential compost facility site locations.
Future phases of this project will be informed by community perspectives and initial findings. These findings will shape the county’s decision on whether to move forward with site selection, facility design, and permitting.
Public Outreach
To ensure stakeholders and community members are equitably involved throughout this exploration, the project team is dedicated to maintaining an open and transparent process. The project team strives to cultivate an environment where every community member can freely express their voice and thoughts, fostering a collaborative and informed decision-making process.
There are no public meetings scheduled at this time, but information will be posted here, shared via the project email, and posted in other locations as soon as dates are set.
- To stay informed about the project and future public meetings, please register for the project email list.
- Visit the Compost Facility Frequently Asked Questions webpage
- To provide feedback or ask questions, use the project comment and question form.
Past Meetings
- Board of County Commissioners Town Hall – May 30, 2024
Project Contacts
- Project Manager – Zero Waste Strategic Advisor Meghan Wiebe – email or 720-864-6468
- Project Communications – Public Works Communications Manager Andrew Barth – email or 303-441-1032
Why Boulder County is Exploring the Creation of a Local Compost Facility
In addition to helping the county reach it’s Zero Waste and Climate Action goals, there are several reasons why we feel we must explore this potential solution, including:
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