The City of East Grand Rapids is expanding composting options for residents with a new food scraps composting service, launching with our regular yard waste pickup April 6. All homes in the city are automatically eligible, and there is no additional cost because the program is funded through existing operating property taxes.
With this new weekly curbside service, customers can place approved kitchen scraps, such as fruits and vegetables, bread, grains, pasta, rice, nuts and shells and coffee grounds, right in with regular yard waste, including leaves, grass clippings, branches, twigs and other natural yard and garden materials. Materials are limited to what regional composting facilities can process under state regulations.
This expanded program builds on our 2022-25 food scraps drop-off pilot program, which helped test regulations, processing options and vendor capacity. The new service incorporates food scraps into existing yard waste collection so they can offer more composting options without adding equipment or staff.
Residents can still use our food scraps drop-off site at the Public Works complex, 2310 Reeds Lake Blvd., which remains open 24 hours seven days a week. The drop-off site accepts a wider range of items than curbside, including meat, fish, dairy, all food waste, coffee filters, paper towels, napkins, tea bags, pizza boxes, paper containers, paper plates, shredded paper and small pieces of tape-free cardboard. Accepted items may change over time.
By using these composting options, East Grand Rapids can support countywide goals to significantly cut landfill waste by 2030 and turn organic materials into useful compost products.