In an organics composting program, all food scraps and paper food service items are placed in a single container. A hauler will pick up the waste and deliver it to a composting facility. After about 18 months, the material has been recycled into valuable compost.
Finished compost is an organic-rich soil amendment that is used to improve soil structure and water-holding capacity of soils and minimize leaching of nutrients. Compost prevents soil erosion and polluted stormwater runoff from contaminating our wetlands, lakes, and streams. Compost can also be used to reclaim marginal soils. Compost is used in gardens, golf courses, playing fields, road construction projects, and landscaping.
Materials accepted
Materials accepted in organics composting programs include:
- All food waste (including meat and bones)
- All food-soiled paper products including:
- Paper cups and plates
- Paper towels, placemats, and napkins
- Milk and juice cartons
- Parchment paper
- Paper bags
- Pizza boxes and other paper food containers
- Coffee filters
- Teabags
- Waxed cardboard
- Paper vacuum bags
- Floral trimmings
- Plants
- Certified compostable foodservice items
- Other compostable items
Compostable bags and foodservice ware
As part of your organics recycling program, you may be interested in using disposable foodservice ware that is compostable or collecting organic waste in compostable plastic bags. If you are using these items, you will want to make sure that the materials are certified as compostable.
See the information on compostable bags and foodservice ware for more information.
Organics composting haulers for businesses
For haulers and contact information, see the list of haulers that collect organics for composting.
Organics composting facilities
