Washington D.C. is expanding its successful composting initiatives with the addition of 20 new food waste smart bins citywide this summer, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on National Learn About Composting Day. The District's composting programs, which began in 2017, have already diverted 11 million pounds of food waste from landfills, demonstrating a significant environmental impact.
The city's composting efforts started with drop-off sites at farmers markets and quickly grew to include a popular residential composting pilot, expanding from 9,000 to 12,000 households. Public bins were later introduced across the city, further increasing accessibility for residents. Mayor Bowser celebrated these achievements alongside the Department of Public Works and community members at the Anacostia Library.
Since last year alone, the existing smart bins have collected over 800,000 pounds of food waste, with projections to reach one million pounds by this summer. This collective composting effort has the environmental benefit equivalent to removing approximately 500 gas-powered vehicles from the road or planting about 35,000 trees. Mayor Bowser emphasized the ease of composting, saying, "it’s easy!"
Residents can participate through the weekly residential pickup program, or by utilizing the 24-hour smart bins and weekend farmers market drop-off sites. The upcoming expansion with 20 additional smart bins aims to make composting even more convenient and widespread across the District.