Search "[your city name] food scrap drop off" on your city or county government's website (look in Recycling or Sustainability sections). If you don't find it there, check Better Earth's national database at becompostable.com.
Method 1: Your City or County Government Website
Most municipal food scrap programs are run by public works, sanitation, or sustainability departments. Search your city or county official website for "compost," "food scraps," "organics," or "recycling." Common page locations:
- Public Works → Solid Waste → Composting or Organics
- Sustainability or Environment → Food Waste or Zero Waste
- Recycling → Special Programs or Drop-Off
If you can't find it via navigation, use the site's search function with "food scraps" or "compost drop off."
Method 2: Better Earth's National Database
Better Earth maintains a curated database of compost drop-off sites at becompostable.com. They've identified over 1,300 drop-off sites across 43 states, verified a significant portion directly, and organize results by state. Browse your state to see what's listed near you.
Note: the database doesn't capture every site — programs in NY, CA, and VT are particularly undercounted — but it's the best single national source available.
Method 3: Local Search and Social Media
For neighborhood-level programs not captured in official databases:
- Search "[your city] compost drop off" and "[your neighborhood] food scraps" on Google
- Search your city's name + "food scraps" on Facebook — many local programs maintain Facebook pages that don't have their own websites
- Search Nextdoor for your neighborhood — composting programs are frequently discussed and often have local organizers reachable through these platforms
- Check local farmers markets' websites — many operate food scrap collection on market days
Method 4: Contact Your Elected Representative
If you can't find a program, your city council member, county commissioner, or similar local representative can often point you directly to the right department or program. Many representatives have "constituent services" contacts specifically to help with questions like this. This also signals demand for program expansion if nothing exists yet.