Composting Organic Waste
Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It is the controlled breakdown of organic matter such as yard waste, food scraps, and other organic material that produces a nutrient rich soil. In nature, when a leaf falls to the forest floor, it is eaten by a host of creatures, from worms and insects to microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. Common sources of organic waste include egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels, yard waste; even the food left on your plate can be classified as organic waste. Many people turn their organic waste into compost and use it in their gardens.
Composting improves the soil’s porosity and reduces the frequency of watering. Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and Virginia Cooperative Extension have information you can use to start composting.
Composting Options
Fairfax County residents have several options for managing their organic waste. Whether you decide to compost at home, contract for curbside collection, or drop your compost off at one of our facilities or Farmers Markets, know that you will be doing your part to make the environment be a safer, cleaner place for everyone.
Reminder: Please note the differences in what organics are accepted for each system.
1. Backyard/At-home Composting
You can buy a compost bin or make one yourself. In a few months, you will have a great (and free) soil amendment for your garden and flowers.
Composting involves combining food waste and yard waste to help bring vital nutrients back to the soil. To compost correctly and efficiently, there are four ingredients in the recipe: Nitrogen, Carbon, Oxygen and Water. To learn more about the different types of at-home compost systems and what goes into a home compost bin visit Compost: What Is It and What's It To You | VCE Publications | Virginia Tech (vt.edu).
Instead of purchasing soil amendments, this compost can be used in your home gardens. It also provides many other benefits, such as improving soil porosity, reducing soil erosion, and retaining moisture.
2. Organics Drop Off
There are year-round two locations where residents can drop off food waste to be composted: at the I-95 Landfill Complex and the I-66 Transfer Station. You can also drop off food waste at all Fairfax County Farmers Markets. Review this list of what is accepted and not accepted prior to drop off.
Compost Yes
- Nuts
- Breads, Cereal, Rice and Pasta
- Meat, Seafood Bones
- Cheese and Dairy
- Salad
- Vegetables
- Flowers
- Tea Bags and Loose Tea
- Egg Shells
- Fruit
- Compostable Bags
- Coffee Grounds
- Uncoated Paper Plates
- Uncoated Paper Bags
- Paper towels and Napkins (Kitchen Only)
Compost No
- Plastic Bags or Wrappers
- Foil
- Plastic Coated Cardboard
- Oil or Grease
- Styrofoam™
- I-66 Transfer Station Food Scrap Drop-Off Location
- Fairfax County Park Authority Farmers Markets Drop-Off
3. Curbside Collection Services
Yard waste and food waste can both be collected curbside.
- Yard waste includes grass clippings, leaves, straw, flowers, small prunings, and brush (i.e., branches and twigs smaller than 4-feet in length) generated during general yard maintenance. Yard waste does not include materials produced during tree removal, land clearing, or home renovation projects such as tree stumps, lumber treated wood, pallets, sawdust, dirt, mulch, sod, or food waste.
Yard waste (leaves and grass) is generally collected by your collector separately from trash and recyclables from March through December. The yard waste is delivered to composting facilities that convert the materials into compost, a nutrient-rich, soil-like material. Woody materials are taken to the county's facilities, where they are ground into mulch and available to residents at no cost.
- There are companies operating in Fairfax County that will pick up your food waste. This is a great option for people who want to manage their food waste sustainably but are unable to compost at home. For a list of the companies that are registered to collect food waste, visit Permitted Solid Waste Collection Companies.
In 2024, the county conducted a waste characterization study and found that 30% of the County's trash is organics, or food and yard waste. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) one-third of all food in the United States ends up as waste, rather than as food for human consumption. For more information on the most preferred ways to manage food waste, check out the Wasted Food Scale from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
