SR0062 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0062 LRB103 30621 ECR 57068 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Composting is an effective form of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, and since organic materials make up approximately 30 percent of the material going to landfills, composting is becoming one of the primary methods communities use to reach waste diversion goals and create sustainable communities; and

WHEREAS, Organic residual materials, including yard trimmings, vegetable cuttings, biosolids, food scraps, manures, and hay shavings, have been composted and converted into a beneficial product known as compost; and

WHEREAS, Returning organic resources, remanufactured into compost, to the soil reduces water consumption by over 30 percent for all soil types, conserves water during extreme drought or flooding conditions, decreases dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and decreases erosion and nonpoint source pollution; and

WHEREAS, Communities, through their local governments, highway departments, soil conservation services, and public works professionals, can have positive impacts on clean water, soil, climate change, and landfill diversion by using compost for public works projects; and

WHEREAS, Composting creates green jobs and infrastructure for cities and states that implement composting programs; and

WHEREAS, International Compost Awareness Week, scheduled for May 7–13, 2023, is a multimedia publicity and educational initiative designed to showcase compost production and demonstrate compost use and is supported by compost industry organizations from around the world; and

WHEREAS, The theme for 2023 is "For Healthier Soil, Healthier Food ... Compost!"; it recognizes and promotes the importance of composting and the use of compost in growing healthier food, in supporting healthier soils, and, ultimately, in creating a more just and sustainable world; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the week of May 7 through May 13, 2023 as "Compost Awareness Week" in the State of Illinois.