Organics Cart Information

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What is considered organic?Organic Cart Audit - Printouts Preview

Organics are classified as food waste, yard waste, approved paper products (including food-soiled paper products) and pet waste. These get categorized as items that are made of natural materials and can be broken down into compost. A good general rule of thumb is if the material came from something that was once living, it probably goes in your Organic Cart.


Did you know that placing an item in the organic cart that is not permitted contaminates the whole truckload and costs more? Please familiarize yourself with the resources below to become a super sorter, helping us make sure that the correct items go into the correct carts.

  1. Sort Organics Correctly
  2. Organic Cart Facts
  3. Organic Cart Care
  4. Audit FAQs

Acceptable Items

Below is a list of acceptable items that can be disposed of in your organic cart.

All Food Scraps
  • Egg shells and dairy
  • Meat, fish, shellfish and bones
  • Jams, sauces and cooking oil
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Pastries, cookies, cakes and muffins
  • Bread, noodles, rice, beans and grains
  • Nuts, seeds, chips, popcorn and candy
Yard Waste
  • Leaves, twigs, branches, plants and weeds
Paper Products
  • Shredded paper and cardboard
Food-Soiled Paper Products
  • Paper plates, pizza boxes, tissues, napkins, paper towels and compostable cutlery
Pet Waste
  • Only permitted when placed in compostable bags


Not Permitted

Below are the items that cannot be disposed of in your organic cart.

  • NO food in packaging - separate food scraps from containers before composting.
  • NO plastic bags of any kind.
  • NO plant pots or bedding trays - always separate plants and soil from the container before composting.
  • NO diapers or wipes - even if they say compostable on the label. They are still not permitted.
  • NO foam, plastics, coffee cups, stickers or labels.
  • NO garbage in the organic bin.