International Compost Awareness Week
May 3 – 9, 2026
Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us
International Compost Alliance Launches Global Call to Action for Compost Awareness Week 2026
The International Compost Alliance (ICA) today launched a global call to action for International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) 2026, urging governments, industry, educators and households to recognize and prioritise compost as a strategic resource for soil health, food production and climate resilience.
Running May 3–9, this year’s theme is “Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us,” which highlights compost’s role in returning valuable organic matter and essential nutrients to soils and, in turn, people, strengthening the natural systems that underpin food production.
The campaign comes at a time of growing pressure on agricultural and land management systems, including rising concern over the cost and availability of mineral fertilisers. Against that backdrop, the ICA said compost should be viewed as more than a valuable waste diversion solution, but, as an increasingly fundamental source of nutrients and carbon for soils.
Compost is often discussed in terms of diverting waste, but a more important value is in what it gives back, agree members of the International Compost Alliance. Compost contains valuable nutrients, supports soil biology, improves soil structure and water retention, and helps reduce reliance on the increasingly volatile economics of external inputs such as mineral fertilisers.
As input costs rise and supply chains remain vulnerable to geopolitical and economic disruption, compost is drawing greater attention as a practical and local tool to help build soil fertility, nutrient resilience and long-term productivity.
Compost is not a complete replacement for all fertiliser needs in every system, but it is a proven part of the natural solution to feed our soils, accoding to IcA, and helps return nutrients already present in our food and green waste back to the land, where they can be used productively rather than lost forever in landfills or incineration.
ICA members say that message is central to this year’s celebration: at its core, composting is about recovering value from organic materials and putting it back to work in soils, landscapes and food systems.
Compost’s contribution extends well beyond nutrient supply. By improving soil structure, moisture retention and biological activity, compost can help soils perform better under pressure from drought, erosion, land degradation and other climate-related stresses.
Across multiple countries, ICA members and partners will mark the week with public education campaigns, workshops, school engagement, compost facility tours and community events all aimed at increasing understanding of compost’s environmental, agricultural and economic benefits.
The ICA also encourages policymakers, local authorities, farmers, businesses, educators and the public to use the week to expand composting programs, increase compost use and strengthen recognition of organics recycling as part of a more circular and secure future.
International Compost Awareness Week 2026 runs from May 3 to May 9. Further information for our member nations is available at our RESOURCES page. Click the button below to view them!
FACTS ABOUT COMPOST
Globally more than 85 million tonnes of biowaste are recycled every year, with composting naturally recycling over 1 million tonnes of plant macronutrients.
Compost’s nutrient replacement value refers to how much of the nutrients it contains, primarily nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), can substitute for synthetic fertilizers in supporting plant growth. The exact value depends on the feedstock (food scraps, garden clippings, etc.), composting process, maturity, and moisture content. Compost’s value is further punctuated with an array of micronutrients and organic matter.
Typically 1 tonne of fresh weight compost can supply:
Organic matter is a vital component of fertile soils. Compost is a valuable source of stable organic matter that can form part of a long-term strategy to maintain and enhance soil quality, and thereby help to maintain soils in good agricultural and environmental condition.
Compost alone may not fully meet short-term N needs in high-demand crops, but it can significantly reduce fertilizer inputs.
Phosphorus and potassium in compost are particularly valuable, especially in times of high fertilizer costs or supply disruptions.
Long-term benefits include improved soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity, which enhance overall nutrient efficiency.
Not only does compost support healthy, productive soils, it also works hard for the climate, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents a year through storing carbon in soil and offsetting fertilizer use (an equivalent to driving an average petrol/gas-powered car for 36 billion kilometers (23 billion miles); almost 95 thousand times the distance between the earth and the moon!
Vision
Our vision is a world in which the recycling of organic waste is maximized in order to create quality compost and quality digestate to sustain healthy soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve food security and contribute towards the circular bioeconomy.
Mission
Our mission is to work collaboratively to maximise the recycling of organic wastes and advance the manufacturing of certified, high-quality compost to benefit the environment, society and our members.
The Alliance will strive to:
• Be a ‘think tank’ and platform for sharing knowledge and ideas between Alliance organization's
• Promote international evidence and information locally to members of Alliance organization's
• Communicate joint strategic messages that are common to Alliance organization's and their members; and
• Communicate the benefits of the organics recycling industry to global entities such as NGOs, United Nations organization's and relevant policy makers.
International Compost Alliance
International Environmental Benefits of Compost
Founding Organizations
