Salt Lake City

Sustainability

Contact SLCgreen (801) 535-6470 | slcgreen@slcgov.com

Compost Can

The City’s Compost Program is offered the majority of the year (except for a short wintertime suspension) to divert compostable yard and vegetative (fruit and vegetable) waste from the city’s landfill. The material is delivered to the city landfill compost operation where it is composted.

There is no additional fee for this service. The costs to provide all waste collection services (including garbage, recycling, yard waste, neighborhood cleanup, and glass recycling) are included in your monthly garbage fee.

Eligible material for the brown yard waste bin includes weeds, lawn clippings, leaves, tree branches, tea bags, coffee grounds, fruit & vegetables, and eggshells. The waste is processed at Salt Lake City’s compost facility and turned into compost, which is then available for purchase at the Salt Lake Valley Landfill, 6030 W. California Ave. (1300 South).

The compost is certified for quality by the US Composting Council. Compost is available for purchase year-round. 

For more information contact the Landfill at 385-468-6370.

Items not accepted in the brown bin include biodegradable/compostable packaging (which cannot be processed at this time), paper plates, construction wood, sawdust, sod, dirt, rocks, concrete, animal waste, flower pots, plastic bags, meat/dairy, recyclables, paper, paper bags, napkins, or other material that should be recycled or landfilled.

Yes!

Leaves

Fruits and vegetables (uncontaminated from meat or dairy)

Lawn clippings

Eggshells

Tree branches

Weeds

Coffee grounds (filters okay)

Tea bags (no staples)

No!

Biodegradable/compostable packaging
(our compost facility won’t accept them)

Paper, napkins, paper plates, towels, paper bags

Dairy

Construction material, lumber, and sawdust

Plastic bags

Meat or bones

Animal waste

Dirt (the container will break if it’s too heavy)

 

Need Extra Containers?

Request up to two extra compost cans for temporary placement by filling out this form or calling 801-535-6999. Learn more here.

Holiday Tree Collection

Learn more about your options to dispose of your holiday trees.

Winter Suspension

During several weeks in the winter when there is extremely low demand, the City suspends curbside collection of compost bins. This saves resources and also reduces vehicular emissions during inversion season.

2024 Dates: January 22 – March 3