Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS), and the Chicago Public Library (CPL) have announced an expansion of the city’s Food Scrap Drop-Off Program to include 13 additional library locations. This expansion increases the total number of drop-off sites in Chicago to 33.

The Food Scrap Drop-Off Program, which began in October 2023, has been used by over 7,400 households and has diverted more than one million pounds of food waste from landfills to composting facilities. The city is expanding the program in response to growing participation, moving beyond the initial 20 DSS facility sites to new locations at neighborhood libraries.

“Diverting food waste from landfills to composting is one of the easiest and most impactful actions individuals and cities can take to fight climate change,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This collaboration between CPL and DSS makes composting even more convenient for Chicago residents and builds on our shared vision of a cleaner, greener and healthier city.”

DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard stated, “We’re excited to partner with CPL in this effort to make composting more accessible for all residents. It will increase our material diversion rate and help meet goals in the City’s 2022 Climate Action Plan and 2021 Waste Strategy.”

The new drop-off locations are at various library branches, including Avalon, Dunning, Edgebrook, Hegewisch, Lincoln Belmont, Portage-Cragin, Scottsdale, Sherman Park, Toman, Uptown, Vodak-East, West Chicago Avenue, and Woodson Regional Library.

“Chicago Public Library is proud to be a neighborhood destination for climate learning and action,” said Commissioner Chris Brown. “At select locations, residents can now participate in composting and pick up a book to learn more about it. Whether it’s access to broadband, books or sustainability programs, CPL connects Chicagoans to the knowledge and tools that help build healthier, more resilient communities.”

The program is free for all Chicago residents. To participate, residents can register at chi.gov/composting and view an instructional video. Participants collect their food waste and bring it to designated green carts at drop-off sites as often as needed. Accepted items include all types of food scraps such as meat, bones, and dairy. Non-food waste is not accepted. The DSS collects the food waste and delivers it to a local facility where it is processed into compost.

Composting helps reduce the amount of methane produced when organic waste decomposes in landfills. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. Reducing methane emissions is considered crucial in efforts to address climate change.

For further details on the Food Scrap Drop-Off Program and a full list of sites, residents can visit chi.gov/composting.