Chicago launches citywide composting program

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) has launched a food scrap drop-off program, allowing Chicago residents to bring household food waste to one of 15 locations across the city as part of the first citywide composting initiative.

“Diverting food scraps for composting is one of the easiest and most impactful ways for individuals and cities to address the climate crisis,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says. “As we bring composting options to all Chicago residents, we can reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions that occur when organic food material decomposes in a landfill, return organic materials to the earth and, most importantly, create healthier communities across our great city.”

To participate, residents can sign up for a nearby drop-off location, collect food waste in sealed containers and bring the collected materials to the green carts at the drop-off sites. Upon collection, the materials will be transferred to a composting facility.

“DSS has been working with city partners to bring composting to Chicago residents to help meet the city’s climate action plan and to increase its material diversion rate,” DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard says. “The department is grateful to have additional resources to carry out this initiative, and we are fully committed to the program’s operations and success.”

The program will accept meat, bones, dairy, fruit and vegetable scraps. Unacceptable materials include bags, pet waste, paper products, packaging, yard waste, liquids, produce stickers and rubber bands.

“The Office of Climate and Environmental Equity applauds DSS for taking this important step in diverting food scraps from the waste stream and returning this organic waste to a productive reuse for compost,” says Angela Tovar, Chicago’s chief sustainability officer. “We look forward to a continued partnership to realize a suite of policies and actions aimed at minimizing waste disposal and its negative environmental impacts and maximizing more circular systems that allow Chicagoans to reroute items from landfills that can otherwise be reduced, reused, recycled or repaired.”