Madison Reporter

The City of Madison will resume its free food scraps recycling drop-off at the South Madison Farmers’ Market starting Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Residents are encouraged to bring coffee grounds, eggshells, and suitable vegetable and fruit scraps for composting.

The market is located at the corner of South Park Street and West Wingra Drive, with ample free street parking available along W. Wingra Dr. The address is 1602 S. Park St., and the food scraps drop-off will operate from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm every Tuesday until October 28, 2025.

Permissible items include coffee grounds, eggshells, raw fruits, and vegetables. Items not accepted are meat, bones, baked goods, prepared foods like pasta, compostable plastics, paper products, grease, or dairy products including cheese. More information on acceptable items can be found on the Streets Division’s Food Scraps website.

In addition to this site, other free food scraps drop-off locations in Madison include the Eastside Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays and the Westside Community Market on Saturdays. Details about these sites are available on the city’s food scraps website.

Starting June 1, 2025, Dane County Waste and Renewables will offer two additional drop-off sites in Madison at Warner Park and near the Henry Vilas Zoo parking lot off S. Orchard St. Pre-registration is required for these locations via the County's website.

The City of Madison aims to compost 40,000 pounds from farmers’ market drop-offs this year—a weight equivalent to a small herd of bison. "So far this market season," they stated, "we have collected two bison worth of scraps!"

Residents who participate can receive a free bison sticker at any City food scrap drop-off site as a token of support.

For more details visit the City of Madison Food Scraps website or contact Dane County Waste and Renewables Composting Program.