771 Tonnes of Waste Diverted Annually Through Composting: A Recycle Organics Milestone

With 1,200 compost kits delivered and an estimated 771 tonnes of organic waste diverted from landfills each year, the Recycle Organics’ home composting program is bringing tangible environmental and social benefits to households and schools across six Small Island Developing States.

Across six Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a simple practice is transforming the way communities manage and view the waste they produce.

Through Recycle Organics’ (RO) home composting program, supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), households and schools are diverting organic waste from landfills and open burning and turning it into valuable compost to use in their own gardens and communities. This shift is helping these island communities move toward more sustainable waste management systems, while advancing circular economy practices and local climate action.

The impact has been significant. Based on monitoring results across participating countries (Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia and Samoa), households are diverting an estimated:

64 tonnes of organic waste every month
771 tonnes of organic waste every year

These results represent a meaningful contribution to improving waste management while also addressing the climate crisis. Organic waste in landfills generate methane, a greenhouse gas 81 times more potent than CO₂ in the short term, making waste management a critical component of climate mitigation efforts.

By composting organic waste at the household level, the program helps prevent methane emissions and contributes to measurable climate benefits. The estimated emission reductions across the six participating countries are equivalent to avoiding approximately 2,100 tCO₂e over 10 years—comparable to the annual emissions of around 45 passenger vehicles or the emissions associated with the electricity use of more than 430 households over a 10-year period.

From Pilot to Measurable Impact

The home composting program was implemented in close collaboration with national and local authorities across each of the six participating island nations.

As part of the program:

More than 20 training sessions were conducted
Over 900 participants were trained

Beyond distributing composting kits, the program focused on building local capacity to ensure long-term adoption. Training sessions created spaces for participants to exchange experiences and practical knowledge, combining technical guidance with local perspectives to help households manage organic waste at the source and sustain these practices over time.

"Education of our young ones on the importance of getting value out of organic waste, through this project, introducing composting at the school level, is the way to go if we want to inculcate positive attitudes in our young ones towards waste management, and of course organic waste."

Myrna Julien

Communications Manager at the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority

With an average of four participants per household, the initiative has reached approximately 4,350 beneficiaries, with women representing 70% of the registered participants and playing a central role in the adoption and day-to-day practice of home composting.

Monitoring results show that participating households are composting an average of 0.5 kilograms of organic waste per day — approximately 40% of their daily household waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Community-Based Monitoring Strengthened the Program

Initiating a monitoring plan led by neighbors and community leaders has served as a key component for the program’s success across each country

Local monitors were trained to conduct follow-up visits with participating households, helping to ensure that composting systems were used correctly and that participants received continued support. In parallel, community WhatsApp groups were established, collectively bringing together more than 500 members and creating spaces for participants to share progress, exchange practical advice and support one another.

These monitoring efforts, now completed across all countries, provided valuable insights into participation levels, waste diversion rates and the real-life benefits experienced by households.

Cost Savings and Local Benefits

In addition to environmental benefits, home composting can generate meaningful economic savings. When organic waste is managed at the household level, municipalities face lower volumes to collect, transport and dispose of — reducing the pressure on landfill infrastructure and cutting operational costs. Households that produce their own compost can also reduce their reliance on purchased fertilizers, keeping more resources within local economies. Together, these savings create new opportunities for entire municipalities and waste management systems.

Based on the average amount of organic waste diverted per household, the program could generate approximately:

USD $1,121 in monthly operational savings per country
USD $13,451 in annual savings for each country

At the household level, this represents an estimated USD $6 in savings per household per month associated with reduced waste management costs.

These results highlight the strong potential for home composting to complement national waste management strategies while extending the life of landfills and unlocking resources that can fund stronger waste management services, systems and facilities.

Program Handover and Resources for Future Implementation

As the program approaches its conclusion, handover meetings have been held with national counterparts to sustain lasting systemic changes and build on the program’s momentum.

As part of this process, Recycle Organics has delivered comprehensive resources to support continued implementation and the potential scaling of home composting initiatives, including:

Country-level program results reports
A Home Composting Guide for Tropical SIDS
Implementation Guide for Home Composting Programs
Monitoring Plans
Training materials used during community workshops
Community outreach resources

These resources aim to support governments and local institutions in sustaining and expanding home composting initiatives beyond the pilot phase.

Expanding the Program: Belize and Fiji

Countries are taking steps to ensure the continuity and expansion of these initiatives by incorporating them into their national strategies. An additional 150 composting kits will be delivered in both Belize and Fiji this year, benefiting three new urban communities in Fiji—Nausori, Savusavu and Lautoka. In Belize, Orange Walk, Benque Viejo and Dangriga will receive additional kits.

Meanwhile, in Saint Lucia, with support from the World Bank, the Solid Waste Management Authority plans to distribute 2,000 additional compost bins nationwide by 2028. And in Guyana, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has allocated additional resources, aiming to expand composting programs into more schools.

"The home composting program's achievements reflect the commitment of many partners. Recycle Organics thanks Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for their support, as well as the ministries and solid waste management authorities that served as national counterparts. We are grateful to our local consultants, community monitors and technical teams for their dedication. Above all, we thank the communities and families who embraced home composting, demonstrating the power of community action in tackling waste and climate challenges in Small Island Developing States."