The county’s new Food Scraps Collection program is simple.
- Put a biodegradable bag in the small pail provided by Arlington County. The county will provide a roll of compostable bags. Replacements can be purchased at local retailers or online. Do NOT use regular plastic bags — paper is okay.
- Add all food scraps, oils and fats, and food-soiled paper (e.g., paper napkins) to the pail. If you’re concerned about odor, you can put the container or bag in the freezer. Large items like soiled pizza boxes can be put directly into your green yard-waste cart.
- When the pail is full (or it begins to smell), remove the compostable bag from the pail, tie a knot in it, and place it in your green yard-waste cart. Because this is no different than putting food scraps in your black trash cart, it should not lead to any new issues with odors or vermin.
- Congratulate yourself for doing your part to address climate change!
To give you an idea of size, here is a photo of the food scrap pail and a box of 150 compostable 2-gallon bags (purchased online) next to a beer can.
Most anything that grows (and rots) can be included but don’t be fooled by containers and other products marked biodegradable, as they may not be compostable in the facility or may still have plastics in them. Here’s the list of what can and cannot be included in your organics bin.
This content originally appeared in the August 2021 issue of The EcoAdvocate newsletter produced by the EcoAction Arlington Advocacy Committee. For more information about the Advocacy Committee, please visit ecoactionarlington.org/get-involved/ecoaction-arlingtondvocacy/
