Food Scraps Composting Drop Off (2024)

Compost Yes

• Nuts
• Breads, Cereal, Rice and Pasta
• Meat, Seafood Bones
• Cheese and Dairy
• Salad
• Vegetables
• Flowers
• Tea Bags and Loose Tea

• Egg Shells
• Fruit
• Compostable Bags
• Coffee Grounds
• Uncoated Paper Plates
• Uncoated Paper Bags
• Paper towels and Napkins (Kitchen Only)

Compost No

• Plastic Bags or Wrappers
• Foil
• Plastic Coated Cardboard
• Oil or Grease
• Styrofoam™

A. You can drop off your compost at all ten Fairfax County Park Authority run Farmers Markets. Please visit the Farmers Market webpage for locations and hours.

Food scrap composting will be available during regular market hours. Please do not drop off food scraps before or after the regular market hours.

Composting food waste could potentially reduce the amount of waste we produce by as much as 33% (EPA). Composting diverts our food scraps from landfills and incinerators. Composting is a sustainable alternative that puts the nutrients from our food scraps back into the earth and, eventually, our food system by using the finished compost as a fertilizer for local farms. Composting is the final step to completing a truly sustainable food cycle system.

Compost adds nutrients and organic matter back into soil, which benefits agriculture, reduces our reliance on synthetic fertilizers, diverts methane-producing organic materials, and improves soil’s water retention. Food scrap composting is just one way to reduce waste. Americans waste so much food every day – the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that between 30 - 40 percentof the food produced in the United States is never eaten.

You can store food waste in a closed container on your counter or in your fridge or freezer. You can use something like an old coffee container, a laundry pod container (they have the screw-on lids) or a compost caddy that is specially designed to hold food waste.

You can buy certified compostable bags at grocery and home improvement stores in your area. You can also buy bags through major online retailers. Can’t find them in your neighborhood? Ask your local store to start carrying them. You can also make a bin liner from newspaper – watch this video!

If you choose to line your collection container, there are many options that do not require a special product. Collect scraps in newspaper and discard together or use a regular plastic bag to empty scraps into the green bin, then throw away the bag. You can also make a bin liner from newspaper – watch this video!

Empty and wash the kitchen container regularly. Lining the container with compostable bags or other material will make cleaning up easier. Some residents also store food scraps in bags or containers inside the freezer until they drop it off. If storing food waste outside, make sure the container latched and in a shaded area, especially during warm weather. Alternate layers of food scraps with shredded paper or newspaper to absorb moisture and odors.

It will if the container is accessible. Make sure the container you put outside has a tight-fitting lid.

All food items are accepted, including meat, dairy, and leftovers. Food-soiled paper like tea bags, coffee filters, napkins, and paper plates are also acceptable.

Yes! Meat, bones, and dairy are all accepted. The composting facilities and Farmers Markets are designed to compost these materials, as well as paper and certified compostable plastic liners.

The waste is taken to a local composting facility. Finished compost is used for landscaping and agriculture.

It is always better to have food consumed by people or animals. This program is intended to divert food that would otherwise go into the trash and turn it into a useful product. We encourage the support of local food banks, especially for dry goods. Here are some resources for food donation.