Culver City Resident's Green Can Just Got Greener!

Culver City Residents: Your Green Can Just Got Greener!

Did you know that approximately 20 to 30 percent of what we throw away at home is food waste that ends up in landfills?

To get food waste out of landfills and into composting facilities for later use, the City of Culver City recently rolled out an Organics Composting Program! Culver City residents can now dispose of their food waste in "Organics" containers so it can be converted into compost and returned at compost giveaways, such as the upcoming event on Saturday, May 4.

Culver City's green "Organics" containers (formerly known as "Yard Waste" containers) now accept leftovers, including meats, dairy, vegetable peels, coffee grounds, napkins, moldy bread, wax boxes, greasy pizza boxes, egg shells and even compostable take out containers and utensils! Residents may also dispose of yard waste in their "Organics" containers for industrial composting (bio-compostable products are not accepted).

When food and compostables go to the landfill, they are encased in plastic liners that are meant to keep our groundwater safe from toxic liquids that form from a mix of decomposing organic material and trash. As a result, the food's nutrients never return to the soil but instead rot and produce greenhouse gases, such as methane. However, by disposing of food and yard waste in "Organics" bins, the Culver City community can reduce its carbon footprint and continue to create a healthier environment.

Culver City implemented a polystyrene ban in 2017, prompting many local food establishments to offer fiber take out containers and compostable utensils. With the new Organics Composting Program, these materials continue on to new life as compost. Another added benefit of the Organics Composting Program is that while most backyard compost bins are “vegetarian," typically only processing fruits, vegetables and bread, Culver City's processing facility accepts meats, bones, dairy and certified compostable containers and compostable utensils.

Here are a few tips to get started on your composting journey:

• Keep a kitchen pail near your kitchen counter to collect food scraps. (Call (310) 253-6452 to purchase your kitchen pail.)
• Line your kitchen pail with newspaper, wax paper or a certified-compostable liner for easy, clean disposal into your green "Organics" container.
• You could also use old fiber take out containers to store food waste in the fridge or freezer. Simply toss the containers in your "Organics" container on trash/recycling/organics collection day.