Mecklenburg County is now collecting food waste — such as eggshells, coffee grounds, meat and fruit/vegetable peels — for composting at select full-service recycling centers.
How it works: You can toss your food scraps into a bin and bring it to special food scrap containers at Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Road) and Compost Central (140 Valleydale Road).
The program is free for county residents.
"If it's edible, it's acceptable," the county said in a statement last week.
The following are examples of material that's not accepted:
Cans of food or food packaging.
To-go drink cups, containers and utensils.
Paper towels and napkins.
Zip-lock bags, snack wrappers and other plastic bags.
What's next: Mecklenburg County Solid Waste plans to expand this service to the Foxhole and North Mecklenburg Disposal and Recycling Centers by summer 2025.
The composting is part of the county's "enhanced recycling program," which means it also now accepts materials such as white foam, shredded paper, textiles and clean wood.
