Republic Services expanded its compost facility at Forward Landfill in San Joaquin County, CA, increasing capacity to recycle food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost.
Why It Matters
Today, 48% of what people dispose of in California landfills is organic waste. That includes 2.5 billion meals worth of unspoiled food a year. Keeping organic material out of landfills helps reduce emissions while creating a valuable resource for farmers, gardeners, landscapers and communities.
“Each truckload of food and yard waste that arrives at Forward Landfill is transformed into nutrient-rich compost that supports local farmers, landscapers and even community projects,” said Chris S., Director of Sustainability Innovation in Organics.
By the Numbers
- Forward’s upgraded facility can process up to 147,000 tons of organic material annually.
- The compost site serves thousands of homes and businesses across Northern California.
- Republic Services operates 17 organics facilities across California – from green waste processing facilities, compost sites and commercial food waste operations.
- Republic Services processed 884,000 tons of food and yard waste at its California organics facilities in 2025.
What California Leaders are Saying
“The composting facility upgrade at Republic Services’ Forward Landfill is a powerful example of how local partnerships help California cut pollution, expand organics recycling infrastructure and support a climate-safe future with technology that puts communities first,” CalRecycle Director Zoe Heller said. “A local circular economy in action, this site takes in food and green waste from homes and businesses and returns finished compost back to the community to support soil health, drought resilience and local food production.”
“This $5 million investment is an important step forward for San Joaquin County. By expanding our composting capacity, we’re strengthening essential services, supporting local businesses, and investing in a cleaner, more sustainable future for the communities we serve,” said San Joaquin County Supervisor Mario Gardea.