Dive Brief:

• Washington County, OR commissioners are prepared to approve a renewed agreement with Nature’s Needs, a commercial composting plant in North Plains. The expected approval comes after the firm took steps to improve operations and decrease odors coming from the facility. The agreement is expected to be signed by commissioners on June 2.
• To satisfy a grassroots effort to oust the firm, which was largely based on residents’ annoyance at smells coming from the facility, Nature’s Needs invested in new equipment. The plant also stopped taking commercial food scraps.
• In 2012, North Plains residents who were tired of the odors created the “Stop The Stink” group. The effort campaigned to have the firm kicked out of the area. Since then, Nature’s Needs bought and installed a new bio-filter system, which eliminates odors from composting piles of food waste and yard waste.

Dive Insight:

The expected renewal of Nature’s Needs recyclers’ agreement with the county comes with conditions. It enables the county to end the deal if unacceptable odors or other factors emerge; it's a good caveat to ensure lawful operations at the facility. Nature’s Needs is owned by Recology Oregon Compost.