Compost FAQ

All food scraps

• Fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, nuts, bones, shells, breads, cereals, grains, baked goods, pasta, coffee grounds, expired food or old leftovers

Food-soiled paper products

• Napkins, paper towels, coffee filters, tea bags, paper takeout boxes

Compostable products

• All "bio-plastics" labeled as BPI-certified commercially compostable

Other

• Small amounts of plant clippings, flowers, leaves

Animal or human waste, diapers, fats, oil or grease, non-compostable takeout containers, Styrofoam, plastic, metal, glass

Continue to place anything recyclable into the blue recycling container.

Store your bin indoors and keep the lid sealed tight. Keeping it outside may attract pests. Bins fit under many kitchen sinks.

Drop off every week even if it is not full. Mark your drop-off day and time in your calendar to reoccur every week. ]

Maintain your bucket by lining your bucket with a layer of newspaper, a paper grocery bag, or a bio-bag. Wash your bucket with soap and water weekly after emptying.

Yes.

This just means that we do not want you to compost large quantities of fat or oil such as a quart of used cooking oil. It is OK to compost anything baked or cooked in or with oil and fat or paper towels used to wipe off oil and fat.

Yes, you can compost plants and vegetable stalks, however, any yard waste that is more appropriate for leaf pick-up should be designated for leaf pick-up. Learn more about the City’s Fall Leaf Collection. 

The food waste generated from our program is brought by our waste hauler (Impact Earth) to a vermicomposting facility (worm farm) called Organix Green Industries located in Seneca Castle NY.  Once the food scraps are recycled into compost, ROC City Compost will give back a portion of the compost to participants. Check back here for updates about the compost giveback.

Based on the outcome of the one-year pilot, we are considering expanding the drop-off to a new location that will be announced soon. In the future, we may consider the feasibility of curbside pick-up. Other factors such as funding availability and interest from a broader participant base would determine how the program can expand.

Based on the outcome of the pilot program and feedback from participants and the public, we will consider adding locations and adjusting hours. 

As of February 2024, ROC City Compost collected 294 tons of food wast