Food Waste Collection

The City is excited to announce a new sustainability program to make it convenient for residents to compost food scraps with a new Food Waste Collection program. With the help of a SWACO Community Waste Reduction Grant, Whitehall is offering access to a FREE food waste collection site at the Whitehall Municipal Building at 360 South Yearling Road.

Green, 65-gallon containers within a white enclosure in the Whitehall Municipal Building parking lot will be available to dump "accepted" food scraps as detailed below. Every week, GoZero Services empties and cleans the containers, ensuring they are in  working condition to combat pest issues or smells.

Unaccepted items render the contents of a container ineligible for composting. A rule of thumb 35_logofor any food scrap composting program is "When in doubt, leave it out." If you are not sure if an item is BPI-certified compostable, look for the BPI logo, check the BPI website, contact [email protected]  or simply do not include it. We depend on you to help keep non-compostable items out of the composting process!

The first 200 residents who register will have the option of receiving a complimentary two-gallon food waste bucket! However, any bucket may be used for collecting compost, and the drop-off service is free and open to all Whitehall residents who register for the program. 

Food Materials to Compost

Not all “compostable materials” made are accepted! For “compostable” plastic items, please ensure the item is labeled as “BPI Certified” – when in doubt, LEAVE IT OUT! For questions on a specific item, email [email protected]

  1. Accepted
  2. Not Accepted

Accepted Materials

  • Beans & Eggs
  • Fats & Sugars
  • Fruits & Veggies
  • Meat & Dairy
  • Bones & Shellfish
  • Baked Goods & Pasta
  • Coffee Grounds & Paper Coffee Filters
  • Paper Towels & Solid Napkins (exclude paper with coatings which should be plastic)
  • BPI Certified Compostable Materials - Must have the BPI Certification Stamp (This includes compostable liners)
  • Pizza Boxes - tear into small pieces before composting (do not put full pizza boxes in the containers

Why compost?

Composting is a natural process of recycling organic materials, such as food scraps and yard waste into a nutrient rich soil amendment.

Composting has many benefits, including enriching soil, which helps retain moisture, reduces the need for fertilizers and helps plants grow. It also helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. According to the 2019 Waste Characterization Study, in Central Ohio, food scraps are the largest single materials that we throw away. The City of Whitehall would rather see these nutrients be composted and returned to the soil instead. 

What can I do to reduce food waste?

Before you even consider composting, first, learn how you can reduce food waste in the first place. Wasting food costs a family of four about $2,000/year and wastes all of the resources like energy, water and land that went into producing the food and getting it to you.  

Visit Save More Than Food for tips and resources that will help you reduce food waste at home, work, and at school. Visit the website to access rebates for composting equipment, learn how to tell if your food has spoiled or how to keep your food good, for longer.
SMTF