Commercial Foodscraps Composting Program

Up and running since 2009, Santa Barbara's commercial foodscraps composting program has over 200 participating businesses: coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, schools, plus a few office-based companies and multi-unit apartment buildings.

Did you know that as of January 1, 2017, businesses that generate 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week are mandated to recycle their organic waste? Read about the Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling Law (AB 1826) on CalRecycle's website.

Download the PDF

About The Program

Foodscraps are food and soiled paper sorted from your trash. These materials can be diverted from the landfill and turned into compost.

Foodscraps are picked up by the City’s waste hauler, MarBorg, just like your recycling and trash.

 Sorting out your foodscraps helps the environment in two ways:

1. Diverts material from the landfill. When foodscraps are buried they do not only take up a lot of space, but also produce greenhouse gases as they break down.
2. Foodscraps are turned into compost. Compost is a soil amendment used by local farmers and on public parks and school grounds.

Foodscraps collection is half the cost of trash service. The more foodscraps you separate from your trash, the more you save!

Where do we send our foodscraps?  

Our foodscraps go from the local County Transfer Station to Agromin, a commercial composting facility in Oxnard. They spend several weeks in windrows, heated to 131 degrees, to produce a high-quality soil amendment.

Read our new Foodscraps Brochure!

New Video: Introduction To The Yellow Bin Program

Interested in joining the program?

1. Schedule a preliminary meeting with a Recycling Specialist at City Trash and Recycling to discuss program and service changes. Contact Us at 564-5631.
2. Schedule training with a Recycling Specialist to educate your staff in foodscraps sorting.
3. Place colored bins in the kitchen.  It is important to keep blue and yellow bins clearly marked and permanently placed. This will make sorting easy for your staff. 

Submit an inquiry

or call (805) 564-5631

Details on the Foodscraps Program

How It Works at Trader Joe's

Helpful Resources

• Getting Started with Foodscraps Composting in 5 easy steps (PDF): 2 pages front and back flyer that explains how the foodscraps program works, what goes in the yellow bin, and how to get started
• Do’s and Don’ts (PDF): One sheet with the most important practices for food-serving businesses
• Approved Compostable Vendors List (PDF): List of compostable items and vendors that sell them.
• BPI Logo: Certified compostable national standard logo. Items with this logo are accepted in the program.

Outdoor Bin Sizes & Frequencies

Outdoor foodscraps containers are available in the following sizes:

• Carts: 35 gal, 65 gal
• Dumpsters: 1.5 & 2 cubic yards (made of heavy-duty plastic to prevent odors and leaking) 

We also offer indoor bins at cost for the convenience of our customers.

What Can I Put in the Yellow Foodscraps Bin?

Acceptable Food Scraps Bread, grains and pasta Coffee grounds with paper filter Dairy Eggshells and eggs Fruit (pits and shells too) Leftovers and spoiled food Meat (including bones) Seafood (including shellfish) Tea and tea bags Vegetables Food Soiled Paper Coffee filters Greasy pizza boxes Paper cups and plates Paper bags, napkins, tissues and towels Paper take-out boxes and containers (metal handle OK) Parchment Paper Plastic labeled "compostable" Natural cork

Unacceptable Aluminum Foil and Trays Please rinse and recycle these. "Biodegradable" plastic (not labeled "Compostable") 'Biodegradable' is not a certified standard for any method of disposal. Please reuse these materials or put them in the landfill. Cat litter or animal feces Ceramic dishware or glassware Clothing linens and rags Cooking oil Corks - plastic Plastic corks can go in the blue bin to be recycled. Diapers   Flower pots or trays If these are plastic and relatively clean they can be recycled in the blue bin. Foil-backed or plastic-backed paper Glass, metal or plastic not labeled "Compostable" Please recycle these materials in the blue bin. Juice or soy milk type boxes with foil liner Liquids or ice Plastic bags, wrappers Recyclable/clean cardboard or paper Please recycle these materials. Styrofoam We are currently unable to recycle styrofoam. Although you might see a recycling symbol on it, and it is made of recyclable materials, it is made of so much air that there is currently not a viable market for this material. Aluminum Foil and TraysPlease rinse and recycle these.