Get involved

INND is putting together information to share with residents living near large-scale composting facilities. Learn how to make use of an odor wheel to better describe the odors you are experiencing in your neighborhoods.  Also, see how GIS mapping can be a useful tool in identifying the source of odors in your community. Join INND and other community members from Maple Valley and Marysville this coming June by emailing us here. Meeting details will be available soon.

Local news

Washington State

The Washington State Department of Ecology has adopted new organic waste management rules as of April 25, 2013. One of the goals of the new rules is to improve performance of existing facilities. Some of the issues addressed by the amendments include:

• a new requirement for odor management plans at larger compost facilities
• proper training for compost facility operators
• reduction of physical contaminants
• protections for surface water and groundwater

For more information about the new rule, visit the Washington State Department of Ecology Waste 2 Resources page.

Seattle, WA

The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a contract on April 1, 2013 to send its yard waste, food waste, and biosolids to two different composting facilities: Lenz Enterprises in Stanwood and PacificClean in Kittitas County. The City of Seattle's contact with Cedar Grove Composting is scheduled to expire March 31, 2014, so the new contract would begin April 1, 2014 and would last for at least six years. Due to environmental concerns expressed from residents in Kittitas County, PacificClean has decided against locating the site in the Elk Heights area near Cle Elem and is in the process of finding a new location for the new large-scale composting facility.