This Saturday, April 20, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will reopen its free Food Waste Drop-Off program at the Uptown Farmers’ Market in Ward 4 and Brookland Farmers’ Market in Ward 5. Residents can bring their food waste to be composted at these markets in addition to the three year-round sites in Columbia Heights, Dupont Circle, and Eastern Market. Additional locations in Wards 2, 3, 7, and 8 will reopen for the season in May and June. The food waste collected at these drop-off locations is composted locally at District community composting sites and at the Prince George’s County Organics Compost facility.
“DPW’s food waste drop-off program continues to thrive,” said DPW Acting Director Chris Geldart. “Average weekly participation increased by 200 percent between 2017 and 2018, and the amount of food collected increased by 400 percent. There are now nine drop-off locations throughout the city, three of which are open year-round.”
From the start of the program in April 2017, the program has collected more than 527,916 pounds of organics from more than 83,584 participants in all eight wards. Food waste is the single largest component going into landfills, and landfills are the third largest source of methane in the U.S., according to the USDA. Diverting food waste from landfills and turning it into compost contributes to a greener and healthier planet.
Residents are encouraged to drop off the following types of food scraps: vegetables, fruits, grain, bread, pasta, and coffee grounds. A complete list of accepted items is available on DPW’s website.
Additional sites will launch, in conjunction with the opening of the farmers’ market season, as follows:
| Ward | Farmer's Market Name | Address | Program Launch Date | Day | Drop Off Times |
| 1 | Columbia Heights Farmers’ Market | 14th & Kenyon St., NW | Open Now | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 2 | Dupont Circle Farmers’ Market | 1500 20th St., NW | Open Now | Saturdays | 8:30am-1:30pm |
| 3 | Glover Park Burleith Farmers’ Market | 34th and Wisconsin Ave., NW | May 18 | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 4 | University of District of Columbia Farmers’ Market | 4340 Connecticut Ave., NW | May 4 | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 5 | Uptown Market | 14th and Kennedy St., NW | April 20 | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 6 | Brookland Farmers' Market | 716 Monroe St., NE | April 20 | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 7 |
Eastern Market (in front of Rumsey Pool) |
635 North Carolina Ave., SE | Open Now | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 8 | Minnesota Avenue Farmers' Market | 3924 Minnesota Ave., NE | June 1 | Saturdays | 9am-1pm |
| 9 | Ward 8 Farmers' Market | 3200 6th St., SE | June1 | Saturdays | 10am-2pm |
As a reminder, DPW provides District residents with up to five 32-gallon bags of free compost at the Fort Totten Transfer Station. Bags are not provided, so residents are asked to bring their own.
DPW provides essential city services in two distinct program areas: environmental services/solid waste management and parking enforcement. Both contribute to making District streets and public spaces clean, safe, attractive and accessible for all residents, businesses, commuters and visitors.