Compost Market Report 2025

The compost market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $8.15 billion in 2024 to $8.86 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to adoption of home composting, commercial composting facilities expansion, food waste reduction programs, utilization of compost in agriculture, inclusion of compost in urban planning.

The compost market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $13.26 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to circular economy practices, climate change mitigation, soil health awareness, corporate sustainability initiatives, expanding horticulture industry. Major trends in the forecast period include innovations in compostable packaging, waste-to-energy transition, organic waste legislation, green infrastructure projects, collaborations for research and innovation.

The rising demand for organic farm products is driving the growth of the compost market. Organic farm products are cultivated without the use of synthetic insecticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, chemical fertilizers, or synthetic pesticides. The demand for organic food surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, as individuals increasingly preferred foods that are healthier and beneficial for immunity. Furthermore, organic products are perceived as higher quality and safer for both the environment and human health. Compost is extensively used in organic farming to enhance soil fertility. For example, in February 2024, a report by IFOAM - Organics International, a Germany-based organization, and FiBL, a Switzerland-based research institute, indicated that the global area dedicated to organic farming expanded by over 20 million hectares, reaching 96 million hectares in 2022, with more than 4.5 million organic producers and nearly 135 billion euros in organic food sales. Therefore, the growing demand for organic farm products is expected to increase the demand for compost during the forecast period.

Anticipated water shortages are set to drive the growth of the compost market in the foreseeable future. These shortages, denoting insufficient freshwater resources to meet regional or population demands, can be alleviated by compost's ability to enhance soil water retention, facilitate moisture absorption, and reduce reliance on excessive irrigation. For instance, UNESCO, a France-based agency dedicated to global peace, reported in March 2023 that 2 billion individuals globally lack access to clean drinking water, constituting 26% of the world's population. Additionally, 3.6 billion people, accounting for 46% of the global populace, lack access to properly managed sanitation services. Urban residents facing water shortages are expected to double by 2050. Consequently, the scarcity of water resources is a key driver behind the growth of the compost market.

Strategic partnerships are a significant trend gaining traction in the compost market. Companies and organizations are collaborating with compost manufacturing firms and service providers to enhance the utilization of agricultural and domestic waste. For example, in May 2022, the City of Boston announced a collaboration with Garbage to Garden, a US-based waste management service, and Save That Stuff Inc., a US-based resource management company, to launch a curbside food waste collection initiative. The collected food scraps will be processed and transformed into compost at the Save That Stuff site, while the facility's food waste will be converted into slurry at the CORe facility, which will then be used to generate biogas and renewable energy. These partnerships align with Boston’s Zero Waste Plan.

Major players in the compost market are concentrating on the development of sustainable compost derived from organic sources, particularly by-products of mushroom cultivation, to establish a competitive advantage. By-products in this context refer to secondary materials produced during mushroom cultivation, such as spent substrate, repurposed for applications such as composting. Envar Composting Ltd., a UK-based entity specializing in organic waste and biomass recycling, introduced Spent Mushroom Compost in May 2023. This product, derived from mushroom cultivation by-products, is tailored for home gardens and allotments. Comprised of organic elements such as horse bedding, poultry manure, wheat straw, gypsum, and casing soil, it boasts excellent water retention and lacks any unpleasant odors. Offering benefits such as soil structure enhancement, improved aeration, drainage, and sustainability through waste repurposing, reduced agricultural landfill, and lowered greenhouse gas emissions, this versatile, nutrient-rich compost is anticipated to gain favor among gardening enthusiasts and industry experts.

In August 2022, Synagro Technologies, Inc., a prominent US-based entity specializing in biosolids and waste management solutions, successfully completed the acquisition of Liberty Composting, Inc. This strategic move is set to significantly bolster Synagro's composting capabilities for organics and biosolids within California. The acquisition aims to offer a broader array of choices to both existing and potential clientele within the region. Liberty Composting, Inc., the acquired company, is recognized for its expertise in providing composting services catering to organics and biosolids within the United States.

Major companies operating in the compost market include MEC Recycling Corporation, Davo's Worm Farms, Veolia Environnement S.A., NutriSoil, Sri Gayathri Biotec, Charlie's Compost, Attero, WormUp LLC, Tadweer - Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center, Dirt Dynasty LLC, McGill Environmental Systems, Kahariam Farms, Mobius Environmental Solutions Inc., WeCare Organics Inc., Michigan Peat Company Inc., Compost Crew, Wormpower, Biophilica LTD, Solum Gruppen AB, Harvest Quest, Primitive Labs Inc., UNCO Industries Inc., Suman Vermi Compost, San Luis Obispo County Worm Farm LLC, Circulus Agtech Corporation.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the compost market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the compost market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the compost market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Compost is a mixture used for fertilizing, improving soil structure, providing various nutrients to plants, and boosting the population of beneficial bacteria in the soil. It can be produced artificially by establishing an optimal environment for composting, which regulates the aerobic biological decomposition of biodegradable materials.

Compost comprises various products derived from yard trimmings, food waste, manure, mushroom compost, and vermicomposting. Yard trimmings, sourced from residential, institutional, and commercial origins, consist of discarded grass, leaves, tree trimmings, and brush. These materials are processed by methods such as chopping with tools, lawn mowers, or shredders. Compost finds applications across agriculture, home gardening, landscaping, horticulture, construction, and various other uses.

The compost market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides compost market statistics, including compost industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a compost market share, detailed compost market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the compost industry. This compost market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The compost market consists of sales of anaerobic, aerobic and vermicomposting. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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