Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week with EGLE and EGLE partners

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is highlighting its efforts to increase composting in Michigan during International Compost Awareness Week, held annually during the first full week of May — this year from May 3-9. The week is led by the Compost Research & Education Foundation (CREF) and unites communities, schools, governments, and businesses around the many benefits of composting. Several communities in Michigan have resolutions or proclamations for International Compost Awareness Week this year including Oakland County, Washtenaw County, Emmet County, and Royal Oak

“Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us” is the 2026 theme.  It ties into the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land and highlights the vital role compost plays in building healthy soils. Find more information on how to get involved using curriculum materials and other resources available on CREF’s International Compost Awareness Week Website.

The MI Healthy Climate Plan targets reducing food waste 50% by 2030. People and communities across Michigan are working diligently to meet this goal with significant investments in composting infrastructure, education, innovative program design, and materials management planning. Beyond helping prevent climate change, composting supports the secondary goals to promote economic development, protect water and air quality, improve public health, and lessen reliance on landfills.

Last year alone, EGLE invested more than $11.8 million in grants to advance composting and recycling, and there will be more funding opportunities for food waste diversion available through EGLE this year come mid-summer or early fall. NextCycle Michigan, an EGLE initiative, also offers an accelerator program uniting composters, investors, and communities in expanding the development and growth of recycling, recovery, and reuse of unwanted organics, like food and yard waste. The FLOWS track seeks teams with projects focused on transform any aspect of organics recovery – from food collection and processing to establishing new end markets for finished compost.  The FLOWS track opens again for applications this fall. It currently provides collaboration and technical support without grant funding. Learn more about FLOWS success stories by visiting the NextCycle stories webpage and contacting NextCycle participants.

Michigan businesses are also setting a new bar - taking action to reduce their food waste through composing initiatives. Zingerman's Delicatessen, renowned for its sandwiches, is one of the leaders in the pack.  They have taken significant strides to reduce food waste. They received a waste reduction sponsorship from Washtenaw County to expand compost collection. “The county's sponsorship provided funds to purchase new receptacles and allowed us to share best practices and expertise to train our staff on this new operational aspect, including keeping guest collection areas clean and odor-free. By this time next year, we expect to increase our diversion of organic materials from our waste stream by 50%. We hope to leverage our community network and the half-million annual visitors to show how this change can significantly impact waste diversion,” said Jennifer Santi, Zingerman’s Delicatessen’s marketing and communications manager.

How to Participate in International Compost Awareness Week

There are a variety of ways that individuals, educators, business owners, or community leaders can get involved:

• Start composting: Make your own compost pile or use a composting service such as a food scrap curbside pickup or local drop-off site:
• Use and advocate for use of locally produced compost: Apply compost in home and community gardens and farms. Advocate for broader compost infrastructure, educational programs and seek proclamation or resolution from your local officials.

Here are some compost related activities and videos that you can check out and share to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week this year with EGLE, EGLE partners, as well as your partners and friends:

Spring 2026 Community Compost In-person Events

• Washtenaw County is hosting events with community partners throughout the week, including compost site tours, urban farm tours, composting demonstrations, and workshops. Find more on scheduled events on the Washtenaw County composting webpage.
• Traverse City area, Seeking Ecological Education and Design Solutions (SEEDS), Ecology and Education Centers are hosting events in the around International Compost Awareness Week. Find more information on the SEEDS events webpage.
• Kalkaska Conservation District is hosting a Composting 101 Workshop on Tuesday, May 26, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., on the lawn at the Kalkaska Farmers Market. This event is free and open to the public.  Learn how to enhance your own garden or help enhance community gardens with friends and family!

Spring 2026 Upcoming Virtual Events

Informative Compost Videos & Recorded Webinars

International Compost Awareness Week amplifies and spreads the message that composting nourishes the soil, enhances resilience, cuts waste, and helps fight climate change. Join EGLE in celebrating International Compost Awareness Week by getting involved with local activities.

Composting supports communities and soil year round. You can participate in other events happening in your community beyond International Compost Awareness Week or check out the EGLE Composting and Food Waste and Recovery websites. Reach out to EGLE’s program staff if you have questions.”