Refuse and recycling carts at the curb
Streets & Urban Forestry

Compost Food Scraps

Here are your location options for food scraps composting

One this page you will find:

Seasonal Farmers' Market Drop-Off

Two bicyclists drop off food scraps at the Eastside Farmers' Market

Madison Eastside Farmers' Market

  • Dates: April 29, 2025 to October 28, 2025
  • Hours: Tuesdays, 4:00pm to 7:00pm
  • Location: McPike Park (202 S. Ingersoll St)
Westside Community Market food scrap drop-off booth

Westside Community Market

  • Dates: May 3, 2025 to November 1, 2025
  • Hours: Saturdays, 7:00am - 12:30pm
  • Location: 505 S. Rosa Rd (University Research Park)
South Madison food scraps drop off tent

South Madison Farmers' Market

  • Dates: June 3, 2025 to October 28, 2025
  • Hours: Tuesdays, 2:00pm to 6:00pm
  • Location: Corner of S. Park St. and W. Wingra Drive (1602 S. Park Street)

Food Scraps We Can Accept at the Farmers' Market Drop-Off Sites

  • Raw fruits, including peelings, cores, etc.
  • Raw vegetables, including stems, husks, etc.
  • Corn cobs
  • Coffee grounds
  • Loose tea leaves
  • Eggshells
  • Uncooked grains & rice

You can also download this guide for your home to help.

Items Not Accepted at the Food Scraps Drop Off Sites

The below foods are banned from the market food scraps drop-off program.

Do not bring these to the market sites.

The below list will be expanded if additional banned items become necessary

  • All meat & bones (including fish and shellfish)
  • Food products cooked with or in fats, oils, and grease
  • Prepared foods
  • Black walnuts
  • Containers of fats, oils, and grease
  • All dairy products
  • Pastas
  • Paper products, including bags & newspaper
  • Compostable plastics, including compostable bags & compostable tableware
  • Produce stickers, twist ties, and other non-compostable material etc.
  • Pet waste & diapers
  • Traditional plastics
  • Metal items
  • Glass items
  •  Trash

What happens to the food scraps?

Scraps collected at the market sites are hauled to the Neighborhood Food Solutions Farm to be composted to help grow vegetables that are sold at the South Madison Farmers' Market.

Jennifer Sandor dumping food scraps at the Neighborhood Food Solutions Farm

2025 Food Scraps Goal

Our goal for 2025 is to receive 40,000 pounds of scraps for composting.  This is the weight of a small herd of bison.

You can join the herd and bring your scraps to the City of Madison food scraps recycling drop-off point near you.

A cartoon bison with a strawberry balanced on its nose. The bison is has its tongue out and it is licking its nostril. It really is a cute drawing even if it sounds kind of gross.

Community Garden Composting

Your community garden may have a a very small program composting option for gardeners or the immediate neighborhood.  

One garden community garden in Madison has a program started (see below) though others may be available.  Contact the garden coordinator near you to see if a community garden composting option is available. 

Prairie Hills Community Garden at Lucy Lincoln Hiestand Park

Contact the Prairie Hills garden coordinator to see how to participate.

Material accepted here would be the same as what can be composted in your own backyard.

Private Composting Companies

These private companies may be able to provide collection to your home or business for a fee:

Commercial entities may also want to consider contacting the company that provides dumpster collection of trash and recycling to see if they can offer food scraps services.

Organix Recycling may also be able to provide some collection services.

Farmers' market drop-off sites are for residents. They can't support the volume generated by restaurants, food manufacturers, and businesses.  

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Food Scraps