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Food Scrap Recycling
Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) Has Been Composting Food Scraps Since 2002 and We’re Celebrating!
We’re proud to be one of the first communities to recycle our food scraps in the green organics cart to make compost and this program is still thriving. Food scrap recycling is an important part of SB 1383 law to reduce wasted organics and reduce climate change. Find out more about food scrap recycling’s history and how you can celebrate food scrap recycling’s 20 years in CVSan.
Studies have found that food scraps and food-soiled paper were the most common materials that Castro Valley residents and businesses sent to the landfill. Over one third of what we put in the garbage can be composted in the organics cart instead. As a result, CVSan has an ambitious plan, and your green organics cart is an important part of it. We have a goal to reduce the amount of solid waste sent to landfills by 75% and beyond. How? By doing more of what we're already doing, such as placing food scraps, food-soiled paper, and plant debris in the green organics cart. To find out what goes in the organics, please visit our recycling guides page.
Instead of taking up space in the landfill, food scraps and food-soiled paper are combined with plant debris and sent to a composting facility. After processing, your leftovers become compost -- a valuable resource used by landscapers, farmers, schools and you. You can pick up that compost, made from your organics cart material, at CVSan’s Recycles Day.
- Collect food scraps and food-soiled paper in your kitchen pail or a container of your choice. Biodegradable plastics including bio-bags can be placed in your Organics cart/bin.
- Place collected food scraps and food-soiled paper, along with any yard trimmings you may have, in your green Organics cart.
- Set out your green Organics cart by 6:00 a.m. on your weekly collection day.
For more information call CVSan at (510) 537-0757.
Request a Food Scrap Recycling (FSR) Pail from CVSan.
- The 2.4-gal FSR pail with lid and handle is a smaller pail which fits on the countertop. Line it with newspaper.
- The 6-gal Open Air FSR pail with handle is a larger pail with no lid which fits under the counter or on the floor. Line it a paper grocery bag.
CVSan residents may request these pails by completing a Donation and Supply Request Form. Both of these pail options allow food scraps to breathe, which helps to reduce odor and mold. Empty contents of the pail into your green Organics cart. Do not set your pail at the curb.
Tips to Maintain Your Food Scraps Pail and Green Organics Cart
Maggots are fly larvae and occur when flies lay eggs on organic materials. This can occur in any cart where organic materials are placed (garbage or organics cart). Maggots typically have a seven day life cycle with fluctuations depending on temperatures and other conditions such as moisture. To prevent maggots from occurring, eliminate odors and reduce their access to the cart.
Avoid maggots in your green organics cart with the following tips:
- Wrap your meat food scraps and bones in a sheet of newspaper before placing them in your green organics cart.
- Freeze your seafood or meat food scraps until the day prior to your collection day.
- Put a layer of yard trimmings, food-soiled paper (napkins or paper towels), or baking soda on top of your food scraps.
- Rinse your organics cart with a mild detergent and water.
- Keep the cart lid closed.
If you end up with maggots in your green organics cart, the following can help:
- Spray the top and inside of the cart with vinegar.
- Cover the maggots with lime, salt, or vinegar.
If you need to clean your green organics cart, do not use soap and other “cleaners” that could damage local ecosystems. Instead use natural methods and ingredients such as:
- Leave the cart lid open on a rainy day or rinse out the cart with a hose. Make sure to dump the used water and organics debris in landscaping (not into the storm drain).
- Try lime or lemon, baking soda, and vinegar inside the cart to clean and scrub away odors.
If you would like to minimize odors from your green cart, the following can help:
- Mix food scraps with materials that are dry and absorbent (and also organic) such as plant debris, shredded bills and sensitive documents, and paper napkins or towels. Sprinkling baking soda in the cart can help for smaller amounts of food scraps too.
- Store your cart in a cooler, shady area so the heat doesn’t increase the decomposition (and smell) of the contents of the cart.
Tips to Line Your Food Scraps Pail and Other Options for Collection
As detailed above, lining your food scraps pail or collection container with a newspaper or a paper bag are two options. Here are other suggestions for how to collect food scraps:
- Reuse compostable paper containers for the collection of food scraps and food-soiled paper, such as milk/juice cartons, ice cream cartons, cereal boxes, boxes from deliveries, or paper bags from fast food or other restaurants. The container and its contents can be tossed directly into your green organics cart.
- Reuse what comes in the mail to collect food scraps and food-soiled paper, such as newspaper, grocery store advertisements, or credit card applications. These large pieces of paper make it easy to line your food scraps pail or collect and wrap up materials for the green organics cart.
- Reuse shredded paper from your home or office as an absorbent. Mix shredded paper in with your food scraps to help absorb fats, oils, grease, and water. This also helps prevent the loose, dry shredded paper from falling out of carts during collection and creating litter on streets.
- Place a washable container next to your kitchen sink to collect food trimmings as you cook. It’s also a good spot to scrape food scraps after meals.
- At the end of the day, toss the food scraps into your green organics cart for composting.
- Wash the container and place it next to your sink for tomorrow’s food scraps.