{"id":7529,"date":"2026-10-01T14:13:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T21:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sustainable-generation.com\/?page_id=7529"},"modified":"2026-10-01T14:13:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T21:13:46","slug":"how-to-start-a-commercial-composting-facility","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sustainable-generation.com\/es\/commercial-composting-guide\/how-to-start-a-commercial-composting-facility\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start a Commercial Composting Facility"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Starting a commercial composting facility means working through eight steps in order: secure feedstock, confirm markets for the product, find a site, choose a composting method, get permits, arrange funding, build, and start up. The first three decide whether the project is viable at all, and the method you pick shapes every permit and cost that follows. Most projects that stall do so because a later step (usually permitting or funding) exposed a gap in an earlier one.<\/p>\n<h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Feedstock supply, compost markets and the site come first. Do not pick equipment until all three are documented.<\/li>\n<li>Composting rules are set by states and local governments, so the permit path is different in every state and often in every county.<\/li>\n<li>Design starts with a mass-based recipe, then a volume-based footprint for each process step, then a layout that keeps material handling short.<\/li>\n<li>Solid waste, air and water approvals usually run through separate agencies. Start conversations with all of them before design is fixed.<\/li>\n<li>A pilot with your own feedstock produces the temperature, emissions and product data that boards, regulators and grant reviewers ask for.<\/li>\n<li>Plan training and commissioning as a project phase with its own schedule, not as an afterthought to construction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The eight steps at a glance<\/h2>\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;margin:1em 0 1.5em\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f2f5f4\">Step<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f2f5f4\">Main question<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f2f5f4\">What you should have at the end<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">1. Feedstock study<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">What material, how much, how clean, under what contract terms?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Tonnage forecast by feedstock and season, lab analyses, letters of intent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">2. Market study<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Who will take the compost, and at what quality?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Target product specifications and named outlets<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">3. Site selection<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Does a parcel have the zoning, buffers, access, water and power?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">A short list of sites with a regulator&#8217;s first reaction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">4. Technology choice<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Which method fits the feedstock, neighbors and rules?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">A selected method and a concept layout<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">5. Permits<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Which agencies must approve, in what order?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Solid waste, air, water and land use approvals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">6. Funding<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">How will capital and the first years of operation be paid for?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">A funding stack with each source&#8217;s timing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">7. Construction<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Who designs, who builds, who supplies the system?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Pads, aeration, water controls, utilities, equipment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">8. Startup<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Are operators trained and is the process verified?<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Commissioned system, records in place, first compliant batches<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Step 1: Confirm your feedstock supply<\/h2>\n<p>A composting facility is a manufacturing plant whose raw material arrives whether you are ready or not. Build the feedstock forecast first.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>List every source: curbside green waste, commercial food scraps, biosolids, manure, digestate, wood waste.<\/li>\n<li>Estimate tons per week for each source, by season. Yard trimmings and food scraps peak at different times.<\/li>\n<li>Sample each feedstock and have a lab test it. BioCycle&#8217;s process design guidance recommends testing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biocycle.net\/compost-process-design\/\" rel=\"noopener\">total nitrogen, total carbon, moisture content, volatile solids, pH, bulk density and soluble salts<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Check contamination. Plastic and glass in food scraps drive pre-processing and screening costs.<\/li>\n<li>Identify your carbon source. Wet, nitrogen-rich materials need wood chips or ground green waste to reach a workable mix.<\/li>\n<li>Get commitments in writing: franchise agreements, hauler contracts or letters of intent.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Diversion laws create supply. In California, SB 1383 set a 2025 target of <a href=\"https:\/\/calrecycle.ca.gov\/organics\/slcp\/\" rel=\"noopener\">75% less organic waste sent to landfills<\/a>, and jurisdictions must provide organic waste collection to residents and businesses. For a summary of that law, see the key California SB 1383 requirements. For feedstock characteristics, see the compost feedstocks list.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 2: Confirm markets for the finished compost<\/h2>\n<p>Tip fees pay to receive material, but unsold compost fills a site quickly. Before design, name the outlets (agriculture, landscaping, erosion control, public works, bagged retail) and the specification each one expects: maturity, particle size, salts, contamination limits.<\/p>\n<p>Some demand is created by rule. Under SB 1383, California cities and counties must <a href=\"https:\/\/calrecycle.ca.gov\/organics\/slcp\/procurement\/\" rel=\"noopener\">procure annually a quantity of recovered organic waste products<\/a> to meet a target that CalRecycle assigns by population, and compost is one of the eligible products. Product testing is covered in the key metrics for compost quality list, and uses in the compost in agriculture list.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 3: Choose a site<\/h2>\n<p>A workable site has compatible zoning, distance from homes, all-weather truck access, water, power (or a plan for off-grid power), and enough flat area for receiving, mixing, active composting, curing, screening and storage, plus stormwater controls.<\/p>\n<p>Check water constraints early. California&#8217;s composting general order, for example, prohibits composting operations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.waterboards.ca.gov\/board_decisions\/adopted_orders\/water_quality\/2020\/wqo2020_0012_dwq.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">within 100 feet of the nearest surface water body or water supply well<\/a> unless the Regional Water Board allows a lesser setback, and it classifies sites partly by soil percolation rate and depth to groundwater.<\/p>\n<p>Size the site generously. BioCycle&#8217;s footprint method notes that the full process <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biocycle.net\/calculating-a-composting-facility-footprint\/\" rel=\"noopener\">can take anywhere from 50 to 120 days<\/a>, and all of that material occupies ground at once. The <a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/compost-facility-design\/\">compost facility design guide<\/a> shows how to turn tonnage into pad area.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 4: Choose a composting method<\/h2>\n<p>The U.S. EPA describes three broad approaches: windrows (&#8220;roughly twice as wide as they are high&#8221;), static piles with active aeration, where blowers &#8220;can be activated by a timer or a temperature sensor&#8221; and piles may be covered, and in-vessel systems, which process material <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/sustainable-management-food\/approaches-composting\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;without taking up much space&#8221;<\/a>.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;margin:1em 0 1.5em\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f2f5f4\">Method<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f2f5f4\">Fits when<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;background:#f2f5f4\">Does not fit when<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Turned windrow<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Land is plentiful, neighbors are distant, feedstock is mostly yard trimmings<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">The site is tight, food scraps or biosolids dominate, or air rules limit emissions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Uncovered or capped aerated static pile<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">You want forced aeration at low capital cost and rain is moderate<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Rain on open piles would overload water controls, or emission limits apply<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Negative aeration with a biofilter<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Exhaust air must be captured and treated, and staff can maintain the biofilter<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Power, media replacement and condensate handling are hard to support<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Covered aerated static pile<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Emissions and water must be contained at the pile without a building<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Feedstock volumes are too small to justify aeration infrastructure<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">In-vessel or enclosed building<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">The site is very small or in a dense area and capital is available<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid #d9dedc;text-align:left;vertical-align:top\">Budget or throughput growth favors modular outdoor systems<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The composting methods compared list covers each factor in more depth, and the <a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/aerated-static-pile-composting\/\">aerated static pile guide<\/a> explains aeration design.<\/p>\n<p>Sustainable Generation (SG) supplies the covered option: SG Advanced Composting\u2122 Technology, a covered aerated static pile under a GORE\u00ae Cover with positive aeration controlled by oxygen and temperature feedback, with no building and no biofilter. SG&#8217;s <a href=\"\/sg-advanced-composting\/how-it-works\/\">How It Works<\/a> page describes a 4 to 8 week treatment time versus 8 to 12 months for open windrow.<\/p>\n<p>If biosolids are in the mix, the method must meet federal pathogen rules. Under <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-40\/chapter-I\/subchapter-O\/part-503\/appendix-Appendix%20B%20to%20Part%20503\" rel=\"noopener\">40 CFR Part 503, Appendix B<\/a>, a within-vessel or static aerated pile process must hold 55\u00b0C or higher for three days, and a windrow must hold 55\u00b0C or higher for 15 days or longer with a minimum of five turnings.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 5: Map and obtain permits<\/h2>\n<p>There is no single federal composting permit. EPA states that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/sustainable-management-food\/composting\" rel=\"noopener\">composting policies and regulations are set at the state and local government level<\/a>. Expect three families of approval, plus local land use:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Solid waste.<\/strong> In California, CalRecycle&#8217;s regulations place operations in an <a href=\"https:\/\/calrecycle.ca.gov\/swfacilities\/permitting\/facilitytype\/compost\/\" rel=\"noopener\">excluded, notification, registration or full permit tier<\/a> by feedstock and volume.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Air.<\/strong> Local air districts may require permits and emission controls. SB 1383 itself is a diversion and procurement law, not an air rule.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Water.<\/strong> New operations under California&#8217;s composting general order must file a Notice of Intent and technical report with the Regional Water Board not less than 90 days before starting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Land use.<\/strong> CalRecycle lists the county or city planning department as the agency for <a href=\"https:\/\/calrecycle.ca.gov\/SWFacilities\/Permitting\/PermitType\/OtherPermits\/\" rel=\"noopener\">CEQA compliance, conditional use permits, land use, zoning and siting<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/compost-facility-permitting\/\">compost facility permitting guide<\/a> walks through the sequence and the data each application needs.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 6: Arrange funding<\/h2>\n<p>Most projects stack several sources: owner equity or municipal capital budgets, debt, grants, and sometimes equipment leasing. Grant programs open and close, so verify status on the agency page before you plan around one. As of October 2026:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>EPA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/circulareconomy\/solid-waste-infrastructure-recycling-grant-program\" rel=\"noopener\">Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program<\/a> was funded for fiscal years 2022 to 2026 under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.<\/li>\n<li>CalRecycle&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/calrecycle.ca.gov\/funding\/organics\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Organics Grant Program<\/a> funds expanded capacity or new facilities in California that keep green materials and food materials out of landfills, but its page lists no open applications and no upcoming cycles at this time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Grant reviewers and lenders want the same documents regulators want: a feedstock forecast, a process design, and evidence the technology performs. See <a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/how-to-fund-a-compost-facility\/\">how to fund a compost facility<\/a>, the organics infrastructure grants list and SG&#8217;s <a href=\"\/financing-grants\/\">financing and grants page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 7: Design and build<\/h2>\n<p>Detailed design converts the recipe and tonnage into pad areas, aeration, water controls and traffic flow. Construction typically covers:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Earthwork, grading and the working pad<\/li>\n<li>Aeration (pipe on grade or in-floor trenches), blowers and controls<\/li>\n<li>Separate collection for clean stormwater and process water<\/li>\n<li>Power, water supply, scale and office<\/li>\n<li>Mobile equipment: loaders, grinder, mixer, screen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Schedule depends on the system and the site. SG describes SG MOBILE\u00ae as installed in days to weeks, depending on the site, and its <a href=\"\/sg-advanced-composting\/faqs\/\">FAQ<\/a> says complete SG BUNKER\u00ae installations are typically online within 6 to 12 months, depending on site and permitting.<\/p>\n<p>Consider a pilot before committing capital. SG&#8217;s <a href=\"\/consulting\/pilots-demos\/\">pilots and demos program<\/a> uses the SG MOBILE System to run batches of a client&#8217;s own feedstock and generate data for permits, grants or board approval. See <a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/how-to-run-a-composting-pilot\/\">how to run a composting pilot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Step 8: Train operators and start up<\/h2>\n<p>Startup is where the design meets real feedstock. Plan for:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Operator training in recipe building, pile construction, monitoring and housekeeping.<\/li>\n<li>Commissioning of blowers, sensors and controls, with test batches.<\/li>\n<li>Recordkeeping from day one. California operators, for example, must keep records of sampling results and of <a href=\"https:\/\/calrecycle.ca.gov\/swfacilities\/permitting\/facilitytype\/compost\/\" rel=\"noopener\">incoming and outgoing weights<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>An odor response plan and a neighbor contact list.<\/li>\n<li>Product testing before the first sale.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>SG describes its <a href=\"\/our-service\/operator-training-support\/\">operator training and support<\/a> as continuing after startup, and its SG COMPOST CONTROL\u2122 System exports temperature and oxygen data for regulatory reporting. Common startup problems are covered in the biggest challenges compost facilities face.<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<h3>How long does it take to start a commercial composting facility?<\/h3>\n<p>It depends mostly on permitting and site work, not on the composting equipment. A small operation in a low permit tier on an existing industrial site can move quickly. A new full-permit facility needs environmental review, solid waste, air and water approvals, and construction. Ask each agency for its typical review time at the first meeting, and build the schedule around the slowest approval.<\/p>\n<h3>How much land does a composting facility need?<\/h3>\n<p>Land need follows from tonnage, bulk density, residence time and pile geometry, plus room for receiving, curing, screening, storage, roads and stormwater controls. Aerated methods can need less area than turned windrows because piles are not spaced for a turner. Work through a footprint calculation with your own feedstock data before you sign a lease or purchase agreement.<\/p>\n<h3>Do I need a permit to compost commercially?<\/h3>\n<p>Almost always some form of approval is required, but the level varies by state, feedstock and volume. California, for example, uses tiers from excluded activities through a full solid waste facilities permit. Air and water agencies may require separate approvals, and local zoning applies everywhere. Confirm requirements with each agency in writing before you buy equipment.<\/p>\n<h3>Which composting method should a new facility choose?<\/h3>\n<p>Match the method to the feedstock, the neighbors and the rules. Yard trimmings on a remote site can work in windrows. Food scraps, biosolids or digestate near homes, or in an air district with compost emission rules, usually call for forced aeration with containment. Compare options on footprint, water handling, emissions control, labor tasks and long-term maintenance.<\/p>\n<h3>Should I run a pilot first?<\/h3>\n<p>A pilot is worth the time when the feedstock is new to you, when regulators or a board want proof, or when a grant application needs performance data. Running your own material for several batches shows real temperatures, moisture behavior and product quality, and it trains future operators before the full system is built.<\/p>\n<h2>Next step<\/h2>\n<p>If covered aerated static pile composting is on your short list, read <a href=\"\/sg-advanced-composting\/how-it-works\/\">how SG&#8217;s technology works<\/a> for the process details. Then use the <a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/compost-facility-design\/\">compost facility design guide<\/a> to turn your tonnage forecast into a first layout.<\/p>\n<h2>Related guides<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/compost-facility-design\/\">Compost Facility Design Guide: Layout, Pads, Aeration and Water<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/compost-facility-permitting\/\">Compost Facility Permitting Guide: Solid Waste, Air and Water<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/how-to-fund-a-compost-facility\/\">How to Fund a Compost Facility: Grants, Loans and Leasing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/how-to-run-a-composting-pilot\/\">How to Run a Composting Pilot<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/aerated-static-pile-composting\/\">Aerated Static Pile Composting: The Complete Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"\/commercial-composting-guide\/\">\u2190 All commercial composting guides<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Have a question this guide did not answer?<\/h2>\n<p>The SG team will take the call, whether you are planning a new facility or fixing one that is already running.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/consulting\/pilots-demos\/\">Start a pilot<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"\/contact-us\/\">Talk to the SG team<\/a><\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How long does it take to start a commercial composting facility?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It depends mostly on permitting and site work, not on the composting equipment. 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The first three decide whether the project is viable at all, and the method you pick shapes every permit and cost&hellip;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":7509,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"class_list":["post-7529","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A step-by-step plan for starting a commercial composting facility, from feedstock and market studies through site, technology, permits, funding and startup.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sustainable-generation.com\/es\/commercial-composting-guide\/how-to-start-a-commercial-composting-facility\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" 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