Macon County, IL Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit needed for backyard composting
- none, if waste is generated on-site
- Governing exemption
- § 50.04(A)
- Composting defined
- microbial decomposition into humus-like compost
- Off-site waste
- not covered by the exemption
- Enforcing agency
- Macon County Environmental Management Dept.
Summary
Unincorporated Macon County exempts private property owners from the county's dumping-permit requirement when they compost waste generated on their own property, under § 50.04(A). Composting itself is defined in § 50.01 as the managed microbial decomposition of organic waste into humus-like compost, with no separate county permit needed for a backyard pile.
COMPOSTING. The managed process by which microorganisms decompose organic waste, producing a humus-like material commonly referred to as compost. ... No person, firm, or corporation shall ... discharge, deposit, dump, or place any refuse, or cause or permit the discharging, depositing, dumping, or placing of any refuse, on any premises in the county other than an area or facility that is permitted by the Agency at the time of the discharging, depositing, dumping, or placing of refuse. Exempt from this rule are private property owners composting waste that was generated on the property in question as allowed by law
Full Breakdown
04(A) bars discharging, depositing, dumping, or placing refuse anywhere in the county other than a facility permitted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, but it carves out an exemption for private property owners composting waste that was generated on the property in question, as allowed by law. 01 defines COMPOSTING as the managed process by which microorganisms decompose organic waste, producing a humus-like material commonly referred to as compost, distinguishing it from LANDSCAPE WASTE (leaves, grass clippings, brush, and tree branches from normal lawn care) and from REFUSE generally.
Because the exemption is written into the general dumping-permit rule enforced by the Macon County Environmental Management Department, a homeowner composting yard trimmings or food scraps generated on their own lot does not need the discharge/dumping permit that a landfill, transfer station, or off-site disposal operation would need. 04(I).
Violations & Fines
Composting waste generated on one's own property is exempt from the § 50.04(A) discharge permit rule, so a compliant backyard pile draws no penalty. Bringing in outside waste to compost, or composting in a way that amounts to unpermitted dumping of non-exempt refuse, falls back under § 50.04(A) and is punishable under § 50.99 as a misdemeanor with a fine of $150 to $500 per offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to compost in unincorporated Macon County?
What counts as composting under the county code?
Can I compost waste brought in from another property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Macon County
Compare Macon County to another location·View the Illinois landscaping rules overview
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