RESOURCE:
Compost Drop-Off Program
Composting is a sustainable alternative to disposing of food waste that turns the material into rich, healthy soil. Ferndale City Council approved the expansion of the program after participants reported positive feedback throughout the first year.
Program Details
All collected food waste will be taken to a certified compost facility. Those interested in utilizing this service are encouraged to review the list of acceptable items to minimize the amount of contamination. Keep in mind: not all items are accepted into the compost program.
Acceptable Items (if it grows, it goes!): Fruits and vegetables, eggshells, raw and cooked meat or bones, dairy, baked goods, pasta, beans, coffee grounds and filters, fats and sugars, flowers, paper towels, napkins (unlined paper items, free of chemicals), and BPI Certified Materials.
Non-acceptable items: Yard waste, pet waste, plastic bags, glass, electronics, healthcare products, stone and metal, styrofoam, and traditional plastics.
Residential Program
Help the City turn your food into soil!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
2. Collect food scraps in a container of your choice
3. Empty your container into green compost carts at any of the City’s locations
4. Bring your container home, rinse, and repeat
Tip: Empty your container regularly, especially in the summer months.
LOCATIONS
Five residential drop-off locations are open daily from dawn to dusk. You can bring your container of organic material to any of these locations and place the contents of your food scraps into the bright green, 64-gallon carts. The drop-off area and containers are marked with instructions.
- Geary Park Parking Lot
(1198 Earle Blvd) SW Corner - Martin Road Park Parking Lot
(1615 E Lewiston Ave) SE Parking lot - Wilson Park Parking Lot
(1280 Hilton Rd) SW Corner - Kulick Center Parking Lot
(1201 Livernois St) - Withington Parking Lot
(159 Withington St) SW Corner
Food waste may NOT be left around the containers. For this program to function properly, we must work together to keep these drop-off areas clean. If you arrive at a drop-off location and see a mess, please report the incident to SeeClickFix.
Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to the City's Zero Waste e-newsletter to receive ongoing compost education and updates/improvements to the program. We recommend it to everyone in the program!
Business Program
The City is looking for businesses interested in composting food waste.
Participation in the program means your business will separate its food scraps into a 64-gallon compost cart, which is collected once a week. To reduce your waste most effectively, businesses—especially restaurants—should compost both pre- and post-consumer waste. This means the scraps from cooking and the waste from customers’ meals. The City can provide educational materials, signage, and training for staff to help introduce the program successfully.
Types of Compost Waste:
- Pre-consumer (“kitchen waste”): Food waste due to overproduction, spoilage, expiration, trim waste, contamination, burned/dropped, and controlled by kitchen staff.
- Post-consumer (“plate waste”): Food waste due to behaviors, portion sizes, self-service, and controlled by guests.