HomePublic WorksTrash & RecyclingComposting Pilot Program

The City of Manassas is sponsoring a residential composting pilot program, collecting food scraps to help reduce the amount of food waste sent to the landfill.  Food waste can be recycled into compost, a natural soil improver that helps the health of local soil and can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  Collected food scraps will be taken to the nearby Balls Ford Road Compost Facility and recycled into compost.

I want to sign up for the pilot program.

The City of Manassas has selected the Wellington Community for the initial residential curbside collection composting pilot.  Residents of Wellington will be able to opt-in to the program beginning in January 2021.  The service will be provided by Compost Crew, an area business that provides food scrap collections for thousands of area homes and businesses.

Residents who participate in the program will receive a bin to separate out their food scraps, much like they separate out recycling.  Bins are lined with compostable liners to help maintain cleanliness.  Once a week, the bin will need to be placed at the curbside for the designated collection day.  Compost Crew will empty the bin and provide a new compostable liner.

As part of this pilot program, the City will fund the start-up costs.  This includes the cost of the 5-gallon collection bin and the delivery of the bin to the customer’s home.  The City will also fund the first 3 months of service for each of the first 300 participating households.  After the initial three months, the monthly service cost will be $10.00, which represents a substantial discount from the typical price for curbside compost collection.

What can I compost?

Customers may upgrade to a 12-gallon collection bin at their own expense.  The larger bin costs an additional $4.00 per month, and is well-suited for families of five or more, or people who cook a lot and generate a lot of food scraps.  People often find it helpful to have a smaller bin in the kitchen to collect the day’s food scraps, which are then emptied into the collection bin.  Customers have the option to purchase a kitchen caddy from Compost Crew, or to use a container of their own choosing.

Food Rescue Heroes Recycling to Reduce Food Insecurity

Over the past year, many members of our community faced hardships that they never imagined possible. Among the most challenging has been food insecurity, which is when a household is not able to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life. Fortunately, hundreds of City of Manassas residents and local businesses have signed on with Prince William Food Rescue to become Food Rescue Heroes. 

By donating extra food to distribution sites, diverting food scraps to local farmers, and composting food scraps that go to the new composting facility at Ball’s Ford Road, we can divert between 30% and 50% of our recoverable food to feed families, support local farmers, and provide nutrient-rich compost for their gardens. Signing up is easy and being a Food Rescue Hero is FREE.  

The City of Manassas is happy to partner with Prince William Food Rescue to make reduce, reuse and recycle something more than just a catchy phrase – it’s a lending hand for our friends and neighbors. Visit www.pwfoodrescue.org for more information.