At least a quarter of the waste you produce doesn’t need to end up in your garbage can.

Turning your food waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment reduces disposal fees the town must pay and benefits the environment.

“More than 25% of the typical household’s waste is yard trimmings and food scraps that can be composted,” said Dustin Hill, Hillsborough’s public works manager. “Food waste placed in trash cans is taken to a landfill, but you can divert that waste and turn it into soil.” 

Food Waste Drop-off 

Food waste can be dropped off for free at six sites in Orange County, including the Eno River Farmers Market in downtown Hillsborough and the county’s waste and recycling center on Walnut Grove Church Road, north of Hillsborough.

Acceptable compost includes: 

• Food scraps. 
• Food-related paper, including napkins, greasy pizza boxes and staple-free tea bags. 
• BPI-certified compostable products. 
• Flowers and trimmings from small indoor plants.

As additional public and private composting sites become available across the state, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality adds the sites to the NC Food Donation and Compost Resource Map.

Composting at Home

Composting also can be done at home and can reduce fertilizer, herbicide and water needs for plants. Learn how to get started on the Orange County Cooperative Extension website.

For those without the space, conditions or desire for backyard composting, countertop composters can be purchased to provide a soil additive with less effort. Countertop composters may use a combination of grinders and heat to reduce food volume and create compost.