USCC conference signals infrastructure growth for organics collection

Compost manufacturers, organics collectors, equipment providers and others from the compost industry gathered in record numbers from 43 states and 11 countries at the U.S. Composting Council’s (USCC) 26th Annual Conference, USCC said.

The trade association said the strong attendance indicated “maturity in the market and a public embrace of compost production.”

“Our record results indicate that the composting industry is growing and interest in expanding it has never been greater,” said Frank Franciosi, USCC executive director. “We could not have done this without the help from our staff, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, media partners and the boots on the ground in Atlanta – a community where our emphasis, Building Resilient Communities, resonated significantly.”

The USCC recorded registration of more than 1,100 attendees compared to 800 in 2016 and 1,000 in 2017. The attendees came from 43 states plus Puerto Rico Washington, DC, as well as five provinces of Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Peru, India, Syria, Germany, China, Chile, the U.K., Austria, New Zealand, Mexico and Australia.

“Every continent except Antarctica was represented,” said Cary Oshins, associate director.

The three-day event included a 100-booth exhibit hall and USCC’s hallmark large-scale Equipment Demonstration Day, held at the DeKalb County landfill, which drew 550 people, compared with 500 in 2017 and 400 in 2016.

USCC said another indication of the industry’s maturity was the participation in the Council and Conference of business brokerage and equipment finance companies, as well as major interest in the industry’s first Entrepreneur Pitching Contest.

The event also drew record support for the industry Foundation, doubling a $25,000 Match Challenge by raising $64,000 for industry research and education.

Next year’s conference is scheduled for January 28-31, 2019, in Phoenix.