Loudoun County has begun a one-year pilot program for accepting food waste at its new Food Waste Composting Drop-Off Center located at the Loudoun County landfill. The program is intended for residents who are interested in composting their household food scraps such as fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy products, pasta, eggshells and coffee grounds. Quantities accepted are limited to one 5-gallon container or an equivalent amount, per customer, per week.
Under the pilot program, Key Compost will collect the material for processing at its composting facility in Frederick, Maryland.
The program was recently initiated by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in an effort to create local composting opportunities for the community. Results of the pilot program, including the level of public interest, will be evaluated for possible program expansion to additional locations.
Diverting food waste from disposal for composting benefits the environment in several ways, including providing nutrient-rich material to improve soil health, reducing waste and reducing methane emissions from landfills.
The Loudoun County Energy Strategy, approved by the Board in February 2023, calls for the county to expand the yard waste composting and recycling program to divert solid waste from the landfill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In September 2023, the landfill began offering free compost to residents made from yard waste, such as grass clippings, hedge clippings and leaves.
The food waste composting drop-off center is located at the Landfill Recycling Center at the Loudoun County Solid Waste Management Facility, 21101 Evergreen Mills Road in Leesburg. Operating hours are Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. More information about the services available at the landfill may be found at loudoun.gov/landfill.
Visit loudoun.gov/recycle for more information about the food waste composting program or call 703-771-5500.
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