Compost Users' Attitudes Toward Compost Application In Florida

A previous study on costs and benefits of compost application in Florida (Rahmani et al. 1999) showed that compost can have positive monetary benefits; however, the various benefits and the scope of potential compost applications are not known by many users. Although composting a variety of organic wastes is thought to be an alternative to landfill use, in the long run, conversion of a part of organic solid wastes to compost will reduce the disposal problem only if a market with a continuous demand for compost develops, and leads to products moving out of the composting facilities and being used. Previous research indicated that compost was applied only for some crops and to a limited extent by growers in Florida. The results of a study evaluating compost users' and potential users' views regarding compost application in Florida are presented in this paper. The study involved a telephone survey of citrus growers, golf courses, landscaping service businesses, and ornamental plant growers in Florida. The survey questionnaire addressed issues such as problems experienced by compost users, sources of information about compost, barriers to using compost, and incentives for potential compost users. The survey explored the issues of concern and the attitudes of those who already use compost as well as non-compost users in Florida. From a list of 2,350 citrus, golf course, landscaping, and nursery businesses, 247 randomly selected businesses were interviewed. The results of the study suggest that in order to promote more widespread compost use, information and product quality are the key. All the other issues are part of or closely related to information and quality. Cost of compost application, availability and quality consistency, and the benefits of compost application are the crucial information that potential compost users want to have. To make compost a more widely used input in agriculture, more information needs to be disseminated and the quality of compost needs to be improved and kept consistent. To promote using compost, a market and demand need to be established, and compost should be considered as a commodity that has some net benefit for the users rather than a waste material for disposal.