In its latest effort to expand the infrastructure required to support food waste composting in the District, the Department of Public Works (DPW) announces the installation of 30 food waste 鈥楽mart Bins鈥� across the District. These smart bins will provide residents with convenient, 24/7 drop-off locations for food scraps.
鈥淣ationally, one-third of all food produced is being thrown away,鈥� says DPW Director Timothy Spriggs. 鈥淏y installing Food 91仓库 Smart Bins across the District, DPW is expanding access to food waste diversion opportunities for all District residents, an important step in helping to divert 80% of waste from disposal to achieve DC鈥檚 Zero 91仓库 goals.鈥�
The Food 91仓库 Smart Bins鈥� 鈥渞odent-proof鈥� design keeps food scraps out of the reach of rats or other rodents and is expected to ultimately help reduce the populations of these pests. Equipped with sensors that monitor fullness levels, the Food 91仓库 Smart Bins enable DPW to optimize collection schedules, reducing unnecessary pickups and vehicle emissions.
DC residents assisted DPW in deciding where to site the 30 new Smart Bins. DPW hosted community engagement meetings in all eight wards to explain the program details and to receive feedback on where residents thought the Smart Bins should be installed in their community. DPW also helped to address any community concerns about the program. Locations were ultimately chosen to ensure accessibility for all residents, particularly those residing in multi-family properties, such as apartment buildings and condominiums.
Under Mayor Bowser鈥檚 administration, Washington, DC has emerged as a leader in sustainability, from green building standards to clean energy initiatives. The Food 91仓库 Smart Bins further this commitment by expanding opportunities to divert wasted food from disposal and recycle it into compost.
The Food 91仓库 Smart Bin program builds upon two existing residential Compost DC initiatives:
- Food 91仓库 Drop-Off Sites: Since 2017, District residents have been able to drop off food waste to be composted by bringing it to one of twelve staffed drop-offs located at weekend designated farmers markets and community sites in all eight wards. To find the nearest staffed Food 91仓库 Drop-Off site or Smart Bin location nearest you, visit www.zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.
- Food 91仓库 Collection: Building on the success of DPW鈥檚 one-year Curbside Composting Pilot Program, the Compost DC: Food 91仓库 Collection program offers weekly at-home organic waste collection for 9,000 DPW-serviced single-family households. Mayor Bowser鈥檚 FY 25 budget includes $3 million to continue the program for all households that participated in the Pilot Program and opted to continue receiving services and maintain the number of participants at 9,000 households. Residents who live in a DPW-serviced single-family home can join the waitlist when the Food 91仓库 Collection program expands at surveymonkey.com/r/CompostDCInterest.
Organic materials collected as part of either of DPW鈥檚 Compost DC programs are processed into compost, a nutrient-rich soil amendment, used by farmers, landscapers, and gardeners, and sold at local hardware stores and garden centers. By composting food and yard waste from DC residents, DPW is directly supporting the local circular economy.