Composting

As part of the City's commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, the Department of Public Works has launched the Organic Recycling Program. Beginning November 11, 2024, Mount Rainier residents receiving trash and recycling collection services from the City can recycle organic wastes. Compost collection will occur every Monday.

By participating, residents will help reduce landfill waste, enrich soil, suppress plant diseases, and lower methane emissions—all while reducing their carbon footprint.

To volunteer for the program, residents must fill out the Opt-In survey.

After enrollment, a representative from the Department of Public Works will confirm your participation and provide instructions for picking up your 13-gallon green composting toter from the Public Works Department office.

WHAT CAN I COMPOST?

LEAPING BUNNY PRODUCTS:

Cleaning products with the Leaping Bunny logo are organic and paper towels used with these products CAN be put in your composting container.

NON-COMPOSTABLE ITEMS:

There are a few compostable things we are not accepting in our composting and a few non-compostable items you might think are compostable but are not. Please do not put the following in your Organic Recycling and Composting containers:

Animal feces
Paper plates, paper cartons, and paper containers with a thin waxy or plastic lining
Paper towels that are used for cleaning with chemical cleaning products

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why is the City offering a Curbside Organics Composting Program, and why should I participate?

Collecting food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings at the curb will help keep valuable materials that are not waste out of our landfill, reduce excessive methane greenhouse gas emissions, protect our environment, and help Mount Rainier get closer to our zero waste goals. Composting also creates a nutrient-rich soil amendment that improves soil health and function.

What can I compost?

There are a variety of materials that can be composted, including yard trim, leaves, grass and brush, food, paper plates, napkins, paper towels, and food-soiled pizza boxes. A few examples of food items include fruits and vegetables, cooked meats, leftovers, bones, eggs and eggshells, dairy (no liquids), seafood and shellfish, baked goods, paper coffee filters and coffee grounds, tea bags and loose tea leaves.

Can I compost leftover cooking grease and oil?

The county composting facility does not accept fats, oils, and leftover grease. These items can be recycled at the County’s Household Hazardous Waste Acceptance Site located at the Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill, 11611 White House Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774. The facility is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday only from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

How can I participate?

Residents can opt in by completing the survey form. Participants will receive an exterior 13-gallon wheeled cart, educational materials, and a refrigerator magnet listing the acceptable organics items for composting. Food scraps must be placed inside the organics cart for collection. Food may be contained in paper yard trim bags, compostable liners, or combined with yard trim in the organics cart.

How do I compost my food scraps?

Participants can place their food scraps or leftovers into a kitchen pail. Empty the contents into the exterior wheeled cart and place at the curb every Monday by 7 a.m. Please ensure your organics cart is visible and accessible from the street.

What happens to my organic materials (food scraps and yard trim) once they are collected?

All organic materials are transported to the Prince George’s County Organics Composting Facility for processing. Materials are placed in a bunker composting system where they decompose and are transformed into a rich soil amendment, marketed and sold in bulk as Leafgro GOLD®.

How do I control odors?

You can help prevent odors by rinsing out your kitchen pail and hosing out the wheeled cart after each collection. Sprinkling baking soda in the cart may also help control odors. Participants can also place their “wet” materials in a large
container and keep that container in the refrigerator or freezer before placing in the exterior wheeled cart before collection on Monday morning.

How do I report a missed organics, food scraps, and yard trim collection?

To report a missed organics, food scraps, and yard trim collection, contact the Department of Public Works at (301) 985-6583.