Free kitchen caddy available to help with collecting food scraps

Starting June 25, Carlsbad residents can pick up a free kitchen caddy to make food scrap recycling a little easier. These small, plastic bins can be used to store leftover food scraps in the kitchen before putting them in the green compost bin along with other green or 'organic' waste, like plants and food-soiled paper.

New food waste collection
On July 1, Carlsbad residents and businesses will begin disposing of their food scraps, food soiled paper and yard waste in their green compost container. This organic waste will be collected by Republic Services and composted at their Otay compost facility to create a nutrient-rich soil additive and mulch for public, private and city use.

How is a kitchen caddy used?
Residents can scrape food waste into the kitchen caddy when preparing or cleaning up after meals. The caddy can be stored under the sink, on the counter or in the fridge or freezer. Once a week, dump the contents into the green compost cart before collection day. Kitchen caddies can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher.

What goes in the kitchen caddy?
Any residential food waste, such as meat, fish, bones, eggshells, old bread, tea bags, coffee grounds, produce, leftovers, expired foods and soiled paper products. Plastic, plastic bags and plastic packaging can't be placed in the green compost cart, so they should not be placed in the kitchen caddy.

Where will kitchen caddies be available?
Republic Services will host 12 pick-up events in the community between June 25 and July 30.

What if a resident cannot make it to an event?
Free kitchen caddies will be also available for Carlsbad residents to pick up at the Palomar Transfer Station, located at 5960 El Camino Real, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting July 1^st and on an ongoing basis. Residents may also contact Republic Services directly to learn more, 760-332-6464.

Why are Carlsbad residents being asked to sort food scraps?
Food waste recycling is required by Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383). Food waste and other organic waste make up nearly half of everything currently sent to landfills. As organic waste decomposes, it produces methane gas, which is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide. SB 1383 establishes methane emissions reduction targets for California, including a target to reduce 75% of organic waste disposal by 2025.

More information
Republic Services website
[email protected], 760-332-6464

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle website

Staff contact
Jamie Wood, Environmental Management Director
[email protected], 442-339-2584