The City now offers both drop-off and curbside collection of food waste in partnership with GoZERO Services, a non-profit courier service for residential recycling of kitchen food scraps for composting. The drop-off program offers three locations that can be used by all UA residents. The curbside collection pilot program – which is funded through a grant from the USDA – is currently in effect from March 2022 through September 2023 and is open to a limited number of UA residents. More information on both programs can be found below.
GOZERO COMPOST AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
Interested in buying the finished compost product? GoZERO sells their compost product in 5lb bags for delivery or you can request a bulk delivery. Click here for pricing and order information.
For both programs, the accepted and not accepted items are the same:
ACCEPTED MATERIALS
- Meat, fish, & small bones
- Dairy products & eggs
- Fruits & vegetables
- Pasta, grains, & beans
- Baked goods & pastries
- Coffee grounds & paper coffee filters
- Paper towels & soiled napkins (exclude paper with coatings which could be plastic)
- BPI Certified Compostable Materials – MUST have the BPI Certification stamp
- This includes compostable liners
- Pizza Boxes – tear into small pieces before composting (do not put full pizza boxes in the containers)
- Animal Waste
- If bagged, bags MUST be BPI certified
- NO kitty litter
- Small amounts of straw/paper bedding allowed
Not all “compostable materials” made are accepted! For “compostable” plastic items, please ensure the item is labeled as “BPI Certified” – when in doubt, LEAVE IT OUT!
NOT ACCEPTED MATERIALS
- Plastic Bags – BPI certified liners ONLY
- No grocery bags, sandwich bags, trash bags, etc.
- Yard Waste (this is collected curbside on your normal trash/recycling collection day)
- Traditional Plastics (containers, coatings, films, etc.)
- Milk Cartons & similar (they have a plastic lining)
- Aluminum Foil
- Clothing & Textiles (including face coverings)
- Electronics
- Glass & Glass Bottles
- Medicines & Other Healthcare Products
- Tin & Aluminum Cans
- Rubber, Plastic, or Nitrile Gloves
- Stericycle Items (e.g. Potato Chip Bags)
- Stones & Rocks
- Styrofoam of any kind
The City currently provides a food waste drop-off program, open to all residents – no sign-up required – with three convenient locations:
- Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road – on the south side of the building next to the dumpsters
- Amelita Mirolo Barn, Sunny 95 Park, 4395 Carriage Hill Lane – by the front entrance
- Fancyburg Park, 3375 Kioka Avenue – in the parking lot off Kioka Avenue
Green, 65-gallon containers are available at each location for you to dump “accepted” food scraps as detailed above. Every week, GoZERO Services empties and cleans the containers, ensuring they are in working condition to combat rodent issues or smells.
Unaccepted items render the contents of a container ineligible for composting. A rule of thumb for any food scrap composting program is: “When in doubt, leave it out.” If you are not sure if an item is BPI-certified compostable, check the BPI website, contact us or simply do not include it. We depend on you to help keep non-compostable items out of the composting process.
Using a liner is a great way to keep your container clean, however, it is important to only use BPI-certified compostable liners. The use of plastic baggies, grocery bags or trash bags is strictly prohibited. Please look for the BPI certification stamp on the bag. Not sure? You can always check the BPI website.
If you have questions about the program, contact the Public Service Department.
DROP-OFF FAQS
Food Waste (5)
YES! GoZERO sells their compost product in 5lb bags for delivery or you can request a bulk delivery. Click here for pricing and order information.
Small amounts of food-soiled paper towels and/or napkins can be included; do not include paper towels with cleaning or other types of chemicals.
A limited amount of BPI-certified compostable material can be included with your food waste. If you are not sure if an item is BPI-certified compostable, check the BPI website, contact us or simply do not include it. We depend on you to help keep non-compostable items out of the composting process. Contact the Public Service Department if you have any questions about accepted vs. not-accepted items.
Cardboard pizza boxes are compostable BUT they take up a lot of room in the containers. If you would like to compost your pizza box, tear it into small pieces before composting. Do not put full pizza boxes into the containers!
The City’s Public Service Department has been awarded a grant through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pilot a curbside food waste collection program that runs March 2022–September 2023. Through the grant, the City is partnering with GoZERO Services to pilot a weekly curbside collection for approximately 650 single-family households. The pilot started with a limited number of households, phasing in additional households every few months. You can still apply to participate in the program by filling out the form below. Please Note: completing the online form DOES NOT mean you are immediately enrolled in the pilot program, watch for an email from the Public Service Department with more information and next steps.
We have reached our 600 household threshold. Additional houses MAY be added later, as funding allows. At this time, all areas are on a WAITLIST for service.
Please complete this online form to be added to the wait list. Already submitted and looking for a status update? Email: [email protected]
Service Instructions
- Once you are enrolled and have received your bucket, you can participate in the weekly collection.
- Place your bucket out for collection at the edge of your curb or driveway by 7 am on your designated FW collection day. Do not place it in the street.
- If your food waste collection day is the same as your trash/recycling collection day, please set your bucket away from your trash/recycling cans
- If possible, tie the bucket liner closed before setting out for collection
- Be sure to securely place the lid on your bucket to avoid any accidental spillage or interest from neighborhood wildlife
- One new liner will be provided with each collection
- If you need additional liners, you will need to purchase them on your own. Any brand of BPI certified liners will work.
- After collection occurs, return the empty bucket to your house by that evening and store it in a secure location
CURBSIDE FAQS
FW Collection (10)
By using the provided liner, the buckets should stay relatively clean. You can rinse and dry your bucket between collections.
Yard waste is collected separately by Local Waste on your regular trash collection day. However, small amounts of grass clippings or leaves can be included in your food waste bucket.
YES! GoZERO sells their compost product in 5lb bags for delivery or you can request a bulk delivery. Click here for pricing and order information.
Small amounts of food-soiled paper towels and/or napkins can be included; do not include paper towels with cleaning or other types of chemicals.
In some circumstances we can provide a replacement bucket, but we are not able to provide additional buckets. Contact the Public Service Department to make your request.
A limited amount of BPI-certified compostable material can be included with your food waste. If you are not sure if an item is BPI-certified compostable, check the BPI website, contact us or simply do not include it. We depend on you to help keep non-compostable items out of the composting process. Contact the Public Service Department if you have any questions about accepted vs. not-accepted items.
No, we can only collect what is in the designated bucket and the grant funds allow us to provide one bucket per participating household. Please use the food waste drop-off locations throughout the city for any additional food waste.
Please set your bucket out each week, regardless of how much food waste your household has produced that week.
Contact the Public Service Department ASAP to cancel and/or update your collection information
