Food Scrap Drop-Off

Collecting food scraps and food soiled paper products is easy. When preparing meals, separate food scraps from other garbage to divert this organic material from regular household trash that is disposed of at the landfill. Food scraps that are collected separately are taken to the Prince George’s County Organics Compost facility for processing into a product that can be used for gardening projects.

Acceptable items: fruit and vegetable scraps; coffee grounds and tea leaves; dry goods - breads, pasta, nuts, rice and grains; dairy products, eggs and egg shells; meat, fish, poultry and bones – cooked or uncooked; food soiled paper products – napkins, paper towels, coffee filters, and tea bags.

Please DO NOT include plastic products of any kind, pet or human waste, diapers, clam or oyster shells, grease or fats, or ash from wood or charcoal.

Five-gallon food scrap buckets are still available at the Department of Public Works. Pick up during regular business hours (Mon-Fri 7:30 am to 4:00 pm). The buckets are useful to transport collected food scraps to the drop-off locations.

Bring your food scraps to either the Department of Public Works (9217 51st Ave.) or Old Town Community Garden (Columbia Ave. between College Ave. and Norwich Rd.) any time, 24-7. Empty contents loosely into the cart, or you can deposit the compostable bag full of food scraps (NO PLASTIC BAGS). For more information visit: https://www.collegeparkmd.gov/foodscraps.