Recology Ostrom Organics, the award-winning compost facility north of Sacramento, welcomed nearly 700 compost facility managers and vendors from across the U.S. for a hands-on showcase of the latest processing equipment. More than 40 machines 鈥� from grinders and shredders to excavators and windrow turners to solar-powered compost covers 鈥� provided by 20 equipment manufacturers were displayed in on-site demonstrations. Highlights included high-quality dark compost produced by new finish screens and e-drive loaders that reduce fuel consumption.
鈥淪eeing this tech in action is a game鈥慶hanger for our industry,鈥� said Emma Singleton, US鈥疌omposting鈥疌ouncil marketing coordinator. Equipment Demonstration Day, affectionately called Demo Day by the composting industry, is an event that closes out the US Composting Council’s annual conference. Singleton said Recology Ostrom Organics served as an ideal site to host Demo Day at COMPOST2026.
Recology pioneered curbside food scrap collection for composting in San Francisco in 1996, making it the first large city in the U.S. to collect food scraps together with sticks and leaves for composting. Hundreds of cities have followed San Francisco鈥檚 lead and implemented curbside composting collection programs. That鈥檚 great news because curbside composting keeps compostable materials out of landfills and incinerators, reduces methane emissions, and helps improve soil health on local farms. Applying compost also helps farms save water.
鈥淓veryone benefits from composting 鈥� local farms, cities, and the planet,鈥� said Recology President Cary鈥疌hen. San Francisco鈥檚 curbside composting collection program helped inspire California鈥檚 SB 1383, a state law requiring all cities and counties to institute programs that keep compostable materials out of landfills. San Francisco鈥檚 program also helped inspire France to pass a national law mandating that all municipalities make composting convenient for their residents and businesses.