Over the last four years, both the City of Asheville and Buncombe County have been steadily ramping up campaigns to reduce food waste, and this month they’re piloting a joint community solution: a free food scrap drop-off program .
How to use this new service:
- Consult this guide to determine what’s compostable. Generally, any organic materials like fruit + vegetable scraps, expired food, coffee grounds, cardboard, etc. are viable choices, but be sure to remove produce stickers, rubber bands, ties, bags, and plastic.
- Sign up with the city or Asheville GreenWorks for a short information session and get a free compost pail to use for collecting food scraps.
- There are currently three public drop-off locations for Buncombe residents, both of which require filling out a short registration form
:
- The Buncombe County Landfill, 85 Panther Branch Rd., Alexander, Open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sat., 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 Washington Carver Ave., Open Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat., 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Sun., 12-4 p.m.
- Murphy Oakley Community Center, 749 Fairview Rd.
A waste audit in progress. | Video grab from Buncombe County, Gif by AVLtoday via GIPHY
Why this matters:
- A waste audit conducted in September 2022 at a Buncombe County building revealed that 67% of its landfill-bound waste could be recycled or composted. Another audit conducted in June at 3 Asheville Parks & Recreation facilities found that 48% of what was in the garbage could’ve been composted.
- When food scraps go into the garbage instead of composting, they release the greenhouse gas methane , which is a substance that has been linked to climate change .
- Methane is not released when compost decomposes above ground, plus the materials are super valuable ingredients for farmers + gardeners.
What’s next:
- The pilot program will assess levels of interest and engagement for future food waste initiatives. By 2035, the City hopes to reduce waste sent to landfills by 50%.
- Get further involved via orgs like Asheville GreenWorks , the Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council , and by following WNC Food Waste on social media.
Want to get deeper into the weeds? Check out this guide
we put together, which shares private composting services + backyard compost options. We also highlight local restaurants who are committed to composting.