Madison Reporter

Free food scraps recycling drop-off will once again be available at the Eastside Farmers’ Market this year, beginning on April 29, 2025. Residents are encouraged to bring items such as coffee grounds, eggshells, and appropriate vegetable and fruit scraps to be composted. The drop-off will be accessible every Tuesday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, continuing through October 28, 2025.

The Eastside Farmers’ Market is located at 202 South Ingersoll Street at McPike Park, conveniently situated off the Capital City Trail with ample free street parking in the vicinity.

Acceptable items for composting include raw fruits, raw vegetables, coffee grounds, and eggshells. Residents are asked not to bring meats, bones, compostable plastics, paper products, grease, dairy products, or prepared foods, such as baked goods. Additional guidance on what can be brought for composting is available on the Streets Division’s Food Scraps website. Assistance from staff members at the food scraps drop-off tent will also be provided.

The drop-off site at the Eastside Farmers’ Market is one of three farmers’ market locations available for food scraps composting, with the others starting at different times. Detailed information on all the market sites can be found on the food scraps website.

In a new initiative this year, the Dane County Department of Waste and Renewables will launch a free food scraps drop-off program at various locations around the county, collaborating with some commercial entities for collection. More information on this can be obtained from their website.

For those interested in further details regarding food waste prevention, food donation, and food scraps composting, resources are accessible at www.cityofmadison.com/FoodScraps.