Food Scraps Collection - Trash & Recycling

Now Collected Weekly with Regular Curbside Service

Arlington County has launched a new residential food scrap waste collection program, bolstering sustainability by diverting biodegradable waste from incineration to composting.

Countertop caddies have been distributed to curbside trash/recycling/organics customers. Get missed? Email DEScallcenter@arlingtonva.us.
Need a green organics cart? Request one online or call 703-228-5000.
Read the Food Scraps Collection Guide.
Unwanted caddies can be left at any County glass recycling drop-off or at the help desks in Central Library and Shirlington Branch Library.

Watch now: Representatives from the County’s Solid Waste Bureau held two helpful information sessions for curbside customers: June 2 | June 10.

Year-round curbside yard waste collection has been in place since 2016. Now the County is expanding green cart pickup to include food scraps that range from fruits and vegetables to meats and dairy, peels and bones included. They’ll be co-collected with yard trimmings placed in the green cart either loose or in compostable bags.

Benefits

The implementation of a food scraps collection program provides the platform to increase awareness in each of our roles in reducing food waste and promoting healthy soils. The goal is to prevent food waste. Other benefits include learning to make better use of leftovers, minimizing spoilage by storing refrigerated and perishable items properly, and most importantly, that each of us has a direct role in reducing food waste both inside and outside the home.

According to the EPA, some of the many benefits of reducing wasted food include:

Reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers your carbon footprint.
Conserves energy and resources, preventing pollution involved in the growing, manufacturing, transporting, and selling food (not to mention hauling the food waste and then landfilling it).
Supports your community by providing donated untouched food that would have otherwise gone to waste to those who might not have a steady food supply.

Food Waste Hierarchy

The food waste hierarchy below identifies food management practices from most preferred to least preferred. Through the food scraps collection program and your help, Arlington could fully implement the Food Recovery Hierarchy. Our food scraps collection efforts would focus on three areas: consumer education, waste reduction and diversion, and sustainable material management (composting).

Arlington’s Zero Waste Goal

This effort is in support of the County’s zero waste goal of diverting up to 90% of our waste from incineration by 2038. Currently, food scraps make up over 20% of the residential waste stream according to our internal quarterly waste audits. By implementing a food scrap collection program, residents would increase the County’s recycling rate, reduce the amount of County trash incinerated, create soil amendments and depending on individual actions, save money, reduce food waste, and reduce GHG emissions*. This program is also consistent and supported by the County’s overall Solid Waste Management Plan submitted and approved by the Va. DEQ.

*Source: https://www.refed.com/?sort=jobs-created

Frequently Asked Questions

How does organics recycling work?
1. - Collect food scraps using your kitchen caddy or any bucket in your kitchen. Line your collection containers with a paper or other compostable bag to help keep it clean. Compostable bags are available at local retailers. Plastic bags are not accepted.
  - Empty your bagged organics into your green cart.
  - Set out your green organics cart on the curb on your trash collection day.
Will I have to pay more for this new service?
The annual cost to add food scraps collection will be an increase of less than $12 per year to the Household Solid Waste Rate (HSWR). This is to cover the costs of collection and processing of the organic materials.
When did the program begin?
The food scraps collection program started with regular Monday trash routes on Sept. 6, 2021.
What is the benefit of this new service?
Food scraps collection provides the platform to increase awareness in each of our roles in reducing food waste and promoting healthy soils. Benefits include learning to make better use of leftovers, minimizing spoilage by storing refrigerated and perishable items properly, and most importantly, that each of us has a direct role in reducing food waste both inside and outside the home. The program will also help to divert food waste from being incinerated to being composted, helping to increase Arlington’s recycling rate.
What materials are accepted?

Food waste, or food scraps, will include vegetables, fruits, peels and rinds, meats (including bones), bread, poultry, etc. – basically anything that we consume, plus things like greasy pizza boxes, soiled napkins, natural corks and even hair and fingernail clippings. “If it grows, it goes.”
What about odors and rodents?
Residents are asked to manage their food scraps in the green cart as they do contents of the black cart, which means ensuring that lids are closed and bagging materials if necessary. To minimize odors, remember to line your container with a paper or other type biodegradable bag to absorb liquid from food waste. Empty your container frequently and rinse it out occasionally.
Why can’t I just put food scraps down the garbage disposal?

Recycling organic waste into compost is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than using a garbage disposal. Arlington’s Water Pollution Control plant requires energy and resources to process out solids, including food waste. Food waste can also overload septic systems and cause problems.
How exactly do residents participate in the service?
Residents with curbside service have been given a small container, known as a caddy, to collect food scraps in the kitchen. You can place collected food scraps into your green organics carts along with your yard waste materials. The food scraps can be placed into the carts loose or in paper or other compostable-type bags. The provided caddy takes bags that hold a minimum of 2.5 gallons (best to use 3-gallon bags) and 14” x 16”.
What does the caddy look like?
Arlington County has distributed a 2-gallon kitchen caddy and 10 biodegradable bags to all residents with curbside collection service. The dimensions are 11.5” x 8.5” x 9.25”. The caddy comes with a lid to help prevent odors. See image.
What types of bags should I use in my kitchen caddy?
The kitchen caddies that were distributed to residents have a capacity of 2-gallons. We recommend using either 3-gallon compostable plastic bags or paper bags to line the caddy. Compostable plastic bags should be certified as compostable by either the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) or the Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA).
Will larger organics carts be offered?
Households that currently have a 32-gallon green organics cart will be able to upgrade to a 64-gallon cart. However, we don’t expect significant increases in the volume of materials going in the green cart. Tonnages will increase, but because food waste is very dense, the volume of organics collected should stay pretty level.
What if I have more material than will fit in the cart?
Residents will be able to set out any food waste in personal containers. Personal containers should be no smaller than 20 gallons and no larger than 32 gallons. They must have secure fitting lids and can be made of metal or sturdy plastic. Make sure to also clearly label the container as food scraps. Filled personal containers must not exceed the weight limit of 50 lbs. Food scraps in plastic bags will not be collected. Biodegradable bags are okay. Crews will not collect food scraps from caddies placed at the curb.
Will residential curbside collection dates change at all?
No, all green cart materials will continue to be collected on the same day as trash and recyclables. Residents still need to adhere to set-out rules as detailed in Chapter 10 of Arlington County Code.
Where is collected food waste material delivered to?
The materials are delivered to Freestate Farms, a permitted advanced composting facility in Prince William County.
Where can I compost food waste besides the curbside program?
Arlingtonians are able to deliver food waste to the Earth Recycling Yard at the Arlington County Trades Center from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Some farmers markets in Arlington may offer food scraps drop-off.