On July 17, the City of Alexandria will launch a new, year-round food waste composting drop-off location at the Old Town North Farmers’ Market. On Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents will be able to drop off their food scraps and other acceptable organic materials to be composted, for free. The Old Town North drop-off is the fifth City-run farmers’ market composting location, joining the Old Town, Del Ray, West End, and Four Mile Run markets. Food waste dropped off at the markets is used to create compost, a nutrient-rich fertilizer that can be used to help grow new food and plants.

To celebrate the opening of this additional site, the City will give free compost caddies to the first 30 residents to drop off food waste at the Old Town North market.

Evaluating the expansion of the farmers’ market composting program was identified as an action item in the City’s 20-year WasteSmart Strategic Plan. In May 2022, City Council adopted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget, which included funds to launch up to two new additional year-round farmers' market composting stations. The City is currently exploring siting for the second new food waste composting drop-off station.

In FY22, the City’s food waste composting program at farmers’ markets received and composted more than 150,000 pounds of food waste. The new service at the Old Town North Farmers’ Market is expected to build on this success: the City anticipates between 50-100 participants will drop off food waste at this location every Sunday in the first year.

For more information on composting, including a list of acceptable and non-acceptable materials, visit alexandriava.gov/FoodWaste.

Food Waste Composting Drop-Off Locations:

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This news release is available at alexandriava.gov/go/3752.