The Organics Grant Program, administered by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) began allocating California Climate Investments funding to in-vessel composting projects for the first time ever in its most recent solicitation. The program awarded five grantees over $1.6 million to install onsite in-vessel composters, with grantees including two food banks, a university, an event venue, and a commercial cannabis cultivation facility. The onsite composters allow these facilities to process pre- and post-consumer food waste without transporting it elsewhere, reducing transportation emissions and diverting this material to more useful applications. In total the projects will divert more than 2,370 tons of green and food material from landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 779 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) over ten years.

Since receiving their funding in December 2023, the grantees have completed the planning and preparation needed to design and procure in-vessel composters for their facilities. We were able to interview two grantees, from California State University – Sacramento (CSUS) and the University of Southern California (USC), about their projects and how in-vessel composting will change waste processing at their site and positively impact their communities.

Can you share with us your name and what your role is on this project?

Laura Gonzalez (LG)/Ryan Todd (RT): Laura Gonzalez, Waste & Sustainability Analyst and Ryan Todd, Director of Energy & Sustainability at California State University, Sacramento.

Matthew Buswell (MB)/Christopher Kalaw (CK): Matthew Buswell, Director of Operations & Christopher Kalaw, Sustainability Assistant with the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at University of Southern California.

Left: Christopher Kalaw, Sustainability Assistant. Right: Matthew Buswell, Director of Operations at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at University of Southern California.

Tell us about your community and the campus you work on. What makes it unique? What are some of its greatest needs?

LG/RT: Sacramento State is a vibrant and diverse university community nestled in the heart of California's capital. It serves over 30,000 students, faculty, and staff, making it a hub of innovation, education, and collaboration. The campus reflects Sacramento’s broader community, characterized by its cultural richness, environmental awareness, and commitment to social equity. Sacramento State is proud to be one of the most diverse campuses in the California State University system. Our community thrives on the contributions of individuals from various cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. This diversity fosters innovation, understanding, and collaboration. Sacramento State serves as an anchor institution to local organizations, businesses, and government agencies. These collaborations allow the campus to act as a leader in addressing regional challenges like climate change and resource conservation. However, we face challenges like ensuring adequate resources for sustainability projects, addressing food insecurity through programs such as the Associated Students, Inc. Food Pantry, and expanding environmental education to empower more sustainable practices campus wide.

MB/CK: The Coliseum event venue is managed by the University of Southern California. We are USC employees, and our community is the university. President Carol Folt created Assignment: Earth, which is “USC’s sustainability framework for creating a healthy, just and thriving campus and world.” We, at the University, are dedicated to leading and initiating positive change. The Coliseum is seen as an iconic landmark in Los Angeles, so we are trying to be on the forefront with best practices that show our fans and patrons that we care about our environmental impact and that even though the Coliseum stadium is over 100 years old we can be innovators in the sustainability space.

We’d love to hear more about the project. What will it do? What does it aim to accomplish?

LG/RT: This project replaces the organic waste compactor at the Dining Commons with an in-vessel compost system from BioCoTech Americas. This system will process both pre- and post-consumer food waste from the Dining Commons, generating approximately 60.5 tons of compost annually and reducing organic greenhouse gas emissions by 363 MTCO2e. By eliminating the need for waste hauling services to transport organic materials off-site, this initiative will significantly reduce Scope 3 emissions tied to waste and transportation. The on-site composting will also allow us to repurpose the finished compost in meaningful ways. Grounds and Landscape Services will use it to fertilize campus lawns, while a portion will be donated to Sacramento City Unified School District (Sac Unified) school gardens. Sac Unified, which primarily serves priority populations, has a goal of expanding school gardens by 75%. The donated compost will not only support these gardens but also serve as an educational tool, teaching students about healthy soils, nutritious foods, and pathways to higher education. This project represents a sustainable, community-centered approach to waste management that benefits both the campus and the wider Sacramento region.

Isidro Versola stands next to a compost pile on the CSU Campus.

MB/CK: We are procuring a BioSpeed M2 in-vessel composter from BioCoTech. The new in-vessel composter will take all our organic waste generated at events and turn it into a usable soil amendment. During ticketed events at the Coliseum, we have a dedicated staff that sorts all the waste produced onsite by hand. During these events we are diverting between 6 – 8 tons of organic waste from the landfill. The goal of this machine is to continue our diversion practice during our normal business operations (not just during major events) with the goal of capturing all food waste produced by our kitchens and smaller events. Ultimately, we want to reduce our growing hauling costs, reduce food waste, and improve the grounds in a circular way.

Event staff sorting waste generated at an event at the Coliseum

What impacts do you hope to see in your community as a result of this project?

LG/RT: Through this project, we hope to transform organic waste into a valuable resource that addresses food insecurity in our community while reducing campus emissions. Additionally, we aim to educate others on viewing waste as a resource and the importance of proper waste sorting, advancing a circular economy and contributing to cleaner air for everyone.

MB/CK: We seek to see less of our trash going into landfills, less organics going into landfills, and an improvement in local air quality. We also project a significant reduction in carbon emissions with the introduction of in-vessel composting technology. We hope this project will serve as an indicator that stadiums and arenas can be leaders in sustainability. We strive to be a place to showcase the best practices and new innovative technology available. We hope that with the introduction of this technology as part of our stadium’s daily practices, we can elevate the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to the forefront of the sustainability industry and showcase that sustainability is possible at the highest levels.

What challenges have you faced in carrying out this project? What could others learn from how you navigated these challenges?

LG/RT: One challenge has been creating and acquiring unexpected documentation, which delayed manufacturing and extended timelines. Unforeseen circumstances also impacted progress, teaching us the importance of flexibility and adaptability in project planning. To overcome delays, we focused on advancing other aspects of the project. For example, while waiting for infrastructure, we prepared energy conduits, established operational systems, and trained staff. This proactive approach kept the project moving forward and minimized downtime, a strategy we recommend for others facing similar obstacles.

MB/CK: We had a lot of challenges in carrying out a project that isn’t common for stadiums to pursue. Usually, waste facilities or municipal composting organizations apply for grants for in-vessel composters or even want to do on-site composting. Therefore, we had to reach out to various organizations like universities and food pantries to understand their reasons for purchasing an on-site composter and how they would utilize the output. We also had to dig into the science of composting and learn how it works and what specifically happens when organic waste gets processed through an in-vessel system. The biggest thing we had was finding an in-vessel composter and company that fit our budget, met the grant requirements, and had previous experience with permitting and purchasing in-vessel technology. In the future, we would recommend working closely with the in-vessel composting company and ensure that they understand local permitting regulations that might stall the project later down the road. While you should trust the sales reps, having the knowledge of the machine’s specifications and the grant’s requirements will save a lot of time on the front end. Additionally, we would advise companies looking for an in-vessel composter to fully understand why they want a composter and what they will do with the soil amendment or compost. Having a full understanding of the plan will make the project run more smoothly. This is an emergent technology, especially for stadiums. Organizations must understand that without a sound plan and understanding of grant requirements and local/state regulations, the project will drag on longer than desired.

What are some successful components of this project that you would recommend others implement in similar projects?

LG/RT: Others should consider incorporating data to support the importance of their project, demonstrating its impact and value. Additionally, it's crucial to use technology that aligns with the specific needs of the space. For example, our dining commons have undergone two years of training on organic waste management, which has been key to ensuring the success of this project and helped us find the right machine based on the materials and organic waste generated there.

MB/CK: Think big and think long term. I would recommend that others consider crafting a holistic composting program, by possibly working with local organizations that take compost or have an organic waste stream that you could work with to fill gaps when there aren’t as many events. This will also increase the community impact of the program and in-vessel composter, rather than limiting the scope to just the purchasing organization’s waste stream.  We incorporated educational signage into our budget ask so that we can train employees properly and promote what we are doing to our guests.

What advice do you have for others applying for funds? What have you learned from the application process that would be useful for others to know?

LG/RT: Begin working on the proposal 4-6 months ahead of the application deadline. This approach allowed us to ensure we had all necessary data, letters, and cost estimates in place when the application was ready to submit. Additionally, include time in the project timeline for potential delays and long lead times on equipment.

MB/CK: My advice would be to understand which composting technology works for your organization and organizational needs and ensure that all stakeholders are involved from the beginning. If you are at a university, be aware of your internal policies and procedures before beginning the application process. We had some hang ups internally even after being awarded the funding. After all the hard work to get approval and awarded it can be a bit of a letdown to restart the process with your internal finance departments. Therefore, understand the reason why you are asking for funding for specific technology and involve stakeholders early on.

Can you leave us with some hints on what more we might see come out of this effort? How do you aim to build on the success of this project in the future?

LG/RT: Next, we aim to get the composter fully operational, allowing us to produce compost for both the campus and the local community. As well to continue advancing initiatives to achieve Sacramento State’s goals of carbon neutrality by 2040 and zero waste by 2030, focusing on innovation and collaboration to drive sustainability forward.

MB/CK: We aim to use the in-vessel composter to support our year-round zero waste goals. It is one step closer to becoming a year-round zero waste stadium, from back of house to front of house waste. We also look forward to engaging the Los Angeles and Trojan community in this project, elevating the message of sustainability in sports and entertainment. This will support our goals of creating and setting best practices within the sports and entertainment industry. We want to continue to be a leader in the Sports and Entertainment industry and show that you don’t have to be a waste processing facility to undertake these best practice sustainability goals.