The Zero Waste initiative is proud to share that in its first year, the Food Waste Disposal Drop-Off collected over 34,000 pounds of material! You can join in our efforts to divert food waste from the landfill. Citizens of Havre de Grace can bring their food scraps to the drop off site located just outside of Hutchins Park, 100 Congress Avenue, Havre de Grace, for free disposal.
The disposal enclosure will be unlocked daily from 7am to 7pm. Bins are serviced weekly by Veteran Compost.
Please do not place the following items in bins:
- Seafood, Fish, or Crab
- Paper Packaging
- Liquids
- Glass
- Plastic
- Oil or Liquid Fat
- Metal
This project is made possible through partnership with the City of Havre de Grace and Veteran Compost. Disposing of food scraps at this site will ensure that they do not end up in a landfill. Instead, they will be used by Veteran Compost to create nutrient rich soil enhancement.
Save your scraps to help save our environment!
Additional thanks to Vulcan Materials for supporting this effort.
Food waste is the single largest component going into municipal landfills, and once there it rapidly generates harmful methane. (Source: USDA). Composting has multiple benefits including reduction of methane emissions and enriching soil. Learn about composting and how you can get started at home.
The Zero Waste Initiative is proud to share that since June, 2020, the Food Waste Disposal Drop-Off has collected over 115,000 pounds of material! We promote recycling, reuse, and reduction/elimination of landfill bound items through education and outreach. Working together, it is our belief that each of us can adopt habits which can help to protect our environment for future generations!
If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned, or removed from production
—Pete Seeger
According to the EPA, up to 75 percent of discarded waste worldwide can be recycled. In the United States, the recycling rate is approximately 35 percent. Locally, participation is lower than 35 percent.
There are many barriers to recycling, perhaps the greatest of which is that the process can be confusing. What goes in the bin? Here in Havre de Grace, we have single stream recycling curbside through Harford County. Information on what can be recycled curbside is available at https://www.harfordcountymd.gov/299/Single-Stream-Recycling.
Curbside recycling should always be placed loose in the receptacle. Plastic bags and wraps are not eligible for recycling with your home pickup due to the inability of many recycling facilities to manage them with existing equipment. The positive news is that plastic bags and wraps can still be easily recycled at your local grocery retailer, or even at Havre de Grace City Hall.
One way to make a big difference in how much plastic waste generated is to switch from single use plastic bags to canvas or fabric totes. Remember to bring your bags along on your next shopping stop.
In 2017, an estimated 16.9 Million tons of textiles were discarded into municipal solid waste. Many of these items can avoid the landfill through donation or textile recycling. (source: epa.gov)
The Harford Waste Disposal Center accepts textiles free of charge year-round for recycling.
Food Waste Disposal Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve had a few great questions about specific items and whether they can or cannot be left at the food waste disposal drop off. As we learn more, we will post here! If you have questions about specific items, please reach out to us at HdGGreenTeam@gmail.com.
Q: Can I place compostable bags in the bins?
A: Yes, but they must be bags that are labeled as certified compostable. Some places offer plant-based bags, however these also contain additional materials which make them unsuitable for the drop off.
Q: I saved my pizza boxes! Can they go right into the green bins with food waste?
A: Yes! All accepted items at the drop off should be placed directly in the green bins. Remember that due to the capacity of the containers, we are only able to accept pizza boxes at this time- no other cardboard can be accommodated.
Q: Can I place toothpicks and popsicle sticks in the bins?
A: Yes! These items are compostable and are permitted in the bins.
Q: Can I leave raw eggs in the bins?
A: Unfortunately, raw eggs are considered a liquid and cannot be placed in the bins. Empty egg shells are accepted, as are boiled eggs. If you have eggs that have expired, please consider boiling and dropping off to save their nutrients from the landfill.
Q: Are paper plates and cups accepted?
A: Only if they are stamped as compostable. Most regular paper plates and cups have a plastic coating which makes them unable to be composted.
Q: Are kitchen paper towels and napkins acceptable?
A: Yes! Paper towels and napkins used in the kitchen can be dropped off, provided they are not soiled with chemicals or other materials which would be unsuitable for composting.
Q: Are all tea bags compostable?
A: Tea bags are tricky. Some tea bags are made from nylon material which is not compostable. Generally, these are a pyramid shape. Paper tea bags are compostable.
Q: Can plain brown bags be left in the bins if they are used to transport food waste?
A: Yes, as long as they do not have any sort of plastic or coating, plain paper bags are accepted.
Q: Are wine corks compostable?
A: Completely natural corks can be placed in bins, but we ask that you cut them into at least four smaller pieces first to ensure they are able to be broken down during the composting process.