Composting
Food Scrap Recycling
How To Do It:
1.COLLECT your food scraps at home in a pail or other container. Although, not required, you may line your pail or other container with a BPI certified Compostable Bag but NOT a Plastic Bag.
2. TRANSFER food scraps into a larger pail or bucket with a cover for weekly storage. It is recommended that food storage bins be kept indoors – either in the house or in the garage.
3. BRING your food scraps in a pail or bucket to a drop-off location to dispose of your food scraps. Food scraps can be transferred into the drop-off bins either in a BPI certified compostable bag or simply unbagged. There is no charge to drop-off food scraps
All material collected will be brought to a commercial composting facility where it will be turned into compost.
Drop-off Locations:
Norwalk Transfer Station
Bins are available for Drop-off when the Transfer Station (61 Crescent St) is open. The operating hours are:
Monday - Friday: 7:30am - 3:00pm
Saturday: 7:30am - 2:00pm
A Disposal Pass is required to use the Norwalk Transfer Station.
Rowayton Community Center
Bins are available for Drop-off at the Rowayton Community Center (33 Highland Ave), behind the library and across from the equipment garage.
Drop-off can be made on Mondays, from 8:30am - 1:30pm.
Cranbury Park
Bins are available for Drop-off at Cranbury Park (300 Grumman Ave), enter the park through the main entrance and the bins are located to the right of the mansion .
Drop-off can be made any day of the week, from 7:00am - 7:00pm.
Accepted Items:
ALL FOOD, including:
- Leftover, Spoiled and Expired Food (cooked food ok)
- Fruits and Vegetables (remove stickers, bands, and ties)
- Meat and Poultry (bones ok)
- Fish and Shellfish (shells ok)
- Dairy Products
- Bread and Pasta
- Rice and Grains
- Egg Shells
- Chips and Snacks
- Nuts and Seeds
- Coffee grounds (paper filters ok)
- Tea Bags (paper filters ok; remove staples)
Paper Towels and Napkins (Can NOT be soiled with cleaning supplies; Colored ok)
Cut Flowers
Compostable Bags - BPI Certified (NO PLASTIC BAGS)
PUMPKINS, please cut into pieces - NO glitter or paint.
Items Not Accepted:
- Plastic bags, plastic packaging and wrappers are never allowed in the bins. Plastic does not biodegrade and therefore will contaminate the compost. Use only compostable bags, paper bags or no bags.
- Baby/Hand wipes are never allowed in the bins. They wipes are synthetic and do not biodegrade. Wipes will contaminate compost.
- Pet Waste is NOT allowed.
- Service ware (i.e. cups, plates, takeout containers, utensils, etc.) even if they are labeled Compostable.
If unsure about an item, please email us before putting it in the bin: Composting@NorwalkCT.gov
Starter KIT
Starter Kits are available for purchase.
Please email Composting@NorwalkCT.org to schedule an appointment.
The Starter Kits include: one 2-gallon countertop pail, one 6-gallon home storage & transportation bin and two rolls of 25 compostable bags. The Cost of the Starter Kits are $25.
Additional Rolls of Compostable Bags (25 bags per roll) are also for Sale for $2 per roll.
Kits and Rolls of Bags are available for purchase at the following locations:
- Norwalk Yard Waste Site Scale (15 S. Smith St) - Credit Card only. Please email Composting@norwalkct.gov to make an appointment for payment and pick-up at the Scale Office.
Starter Kits are not required to start Food Scrap Recycling.
Additional Question, please email: Composting@NorwalkCT.org