NERC | Northeast Recycling Council - Massachuttes - Massachuttes Municipal Composting Programs

Massachusetts
Contact: Sumner Martinson, (617) 292-5969,

Site Assignment Regulations for Solid Waste Facilities 310 CMR 16.00
http://www.mass.gov/dep/service/regulations/310cmr16.pdf
Regulatory categories for compost facilities as of June 8, 2001.

Conditionally exempt 16.05(4)

1. Backyard Composting
2. Leaf Composting Operations. Transfer or compost less than 50,000 cy or 10,000 tons clean leaves and yard waste containing no greater than 25% grass clippings by volume.
3. Agricultural Waste Composting. For agricultural wastes, located on a farm engaged in "agriculture" or "farming" as defined in M.G.L. c. 128, s. 1A. Register with DFA. May also use:
1. Leaf and yard material
2. Wood waste
3. Clean newspaper or cardboard
4. Clean shell and bone
5. Non-ag sources of manures and animal bedding materials
6. Not more than 10 tons or 20 cubic yards per day of vegetative materials
7. Not more than 5 tons or 10 cubic yards per day of food materials
4. Composting on Industrial, Commercial or Institutional Sites. Located at an industrial, commercial or institutional sites or zoos.
* Composts less than 4 cubic yards or 2 tons per week of vegetative material or food material or animal manures (generated on-site).
* at least 30 days prior to commencement of operations, operator notifies the Department and the board of health.

Determination Of Need (DON) Process 16.05(6)

1. leaves and yard materials greater than 50,000 cubic yards or 10,000 tons of leaves and yard waste on site at any time. Volume per unit area limit of: 5,000 cubic yard per acre.
2. vegetative materials (including vegetative sludges) less than or equal to 40 cubic yards or 20 tons per day.
3. food materials (including food sludges or paper sludges) less than or equal to 20 cubic yards or 10 tons per day.
4. agricultural composting operations which are not exempt under 310 CMR 16.05 (4)(C).

Subject to Solid Waste Site Assignment Regulations

1. facilities which accept vegetative materials greater than 40 cubic yards or 20 tons per day.
2. facilities which accept food materials greater than 20 cubic yards or 10 tons per day.
3. facilities which accept any amount of residential source-separated organic materials.
4. facilities which accept any amount of sludge and combine it with mixed solid waste or food materials or vegetative materials.
5. facilities which accept any amount of mixed solid waste.
6. as determined by the Department either: via DON or noncompliance with conditional exemption criteria.

NERC
139 Main Street, Suite 401
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Phone: 802-254-3636
Fax: 802-254-5870
Email: info@nerc.org