Zero Waste DC

03/27/2026

Roll Off Days in DC are back for 2026!

It's time to de-clutter, DC. Here is your opportunity to bring certain large, non-hazardous materials for disposal to the next Roll Off Day near you.

Roll Off Days are for DC residents and take place citywide (across all 8 wards). Find the complete list of events and RSVP online: tinyurl.com/RollOffDC

While registration is not required, it is appreciated so that we can anticipate attendance. RSVP today: tinyurl.com/RollOffDC

Questions? Call the organizing team at 202-442-8150, 10am-5pm, Monday-Friday.

Roll Off Days are currently organized by the Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services, and are supported by the DC Department of Public Works.

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What's accepted at Roll Off Days?

✅ Accepted (including but not limited to):
> Old household furniture and clothing in disrepair that may not be donated
> Small + large toys that may not be donated (i.e., broken kiddie pools, playhouses, disassembled swing sets)
> Old mattresses and box springs (MUST be wrapped in plastic)
> Old bed frames
> Old rugs and carpets

❌ What's not accepted?
See the complete list: https://communityaffairs.dc.gov/page/items-not-accepted-roll-events

02/13/2026

UPDATE: All Weekend Food Waste Drop-offs in DC will operate as normal this weekend, February 14-15, 2026, with a slight location change in SW DC to the Southwest Duck Pond.
 
Due to the recent announcement of the closure and need to relocate Farmers Market SW to an new location, , with the help of and , was able to ensure continued public access to composting in SW DC. The new temporary home of the SW Food Waste Drop-off location is the beautiful Southwest Duck Pond.
 
Starting Saturday, February 14, 2026, the SW DC food waste drop-off will continue to offer its normal hours of operation, on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm, through the month of March at the Southwest Duck Pond, located near the intersection of 6th St SW & I St SW. This temporary location is ~2.5 blocks away from the previous location. Please join us at this cherished DC park for the time being.
 
For the latest information about DC DPW’s food waste drop-offs citywide, visit zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.

01/27/2026

Two changes to food waste collection service this week:

1. Food waste collection will “slide” two days. Monday collection will slide to Wednesday, Tuesday to Thursday, Wednesday to Friday, Thursday to Saturday, and Friday to Sunday.

2. Food waste collection points will temporarily move to the FRONT. If you have back or side food waste collection, please move your food waste bin to the front of your home this week so our crew can avoid icy alleyways. Set your food waste bin at or near the curb such that it is visible, unobstructed, and easily accessible to our crew.

We appreciate your patience during this snow event.

01/22/2026

We are monitoring the forecast for this weekend's winter storm. ❄

Due to the anticipated snowfall and low temperatures, food waste collection & drop-off will be impacted.

Please continue to check the Food Waste Collection & Food Waste Drop-off webpages for updates.

See the links in our bio or visit zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastecollection, and
zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff

Notice to Food Waste Smart Bin Users: For your and our safety, please prioritize visiting your local smart bin on Friday or Saturday morning to avoid dropping off compostable materials during the winter storm.

*Update* All four Sunday Food Waste Drop-off Events are confirmed to be closed on Sunday, January 25, 2026. All Saturday Food Waste Drop-off Events will be open.

The four farmers markets that are closed on Sunday are:
- Dupont Circle Farmers Market,
- Trinidad Farmers Market,
- Bloomingdale Farmers Market, and
- Palisades Farmers Market

If you usually visit a Sunday Food Waste Drop-off Event, we suggest you take your compostable materials to a Saturday drop-off event instead.

01/03/2026

Happy New Year, DC! Welcome to your additional composting options.

Updates to DC Department of Public Works' Food Waste Drop-off Program include:

🍉 All weekend food waste drop-off events are year-round (no more seasonal-only events)
♿ More convenient & accessible drop-off options
🫛 Easy peasy: It’s simple to find your expanded food waste drop-off options on our website (view the drop-down list by Ward at zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff).

👋 Ward 8: Hello, Historic Anacostia! Your new Saturday food waste drop-off (9am-1pm) is near 1303 Marion Berry Ave SE, in front of the Marion Berry Ave Market. This location is also convenient to southwestern Ward 7.

👋 Wards 1, 2, 5 & 6: Join us at nearby Sunday farmers markets in Trinidad (1299 Neal Place NW, 9am-1pm) and Bloomingdale (near intersection of 1st & R Sts NW, just north of Florida Ave, 9am-1pm)

Composting in DC has never been easier!

12/19/2025

DC, you really impressed us with your dedication to in 2025. Over 26,000 of your neighbors placed their food waste out for composting, showed up at a weekend drop-off event, or dropped their compostables at a 24/7 smart bins citywide. Keep up the great work. Working together, we are confident 2026 will be another year of growth.

11/26/2025

Let the pumpkin pie and pecan pie debates begin! 🥧
Either side you take, remember that food waste and food-soiled papers are compostable. We encourage you to bring your compostable materials from home to any of 's Weekend Food Waste Drop-off Events at select farmers' markets and Smart Bins citywide this weekend.
Find the complete list of drop-off locations in at zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff

11/08/2025

Compost your porch pumpkins, DC!
Bring your old pumpkins to any Food Waste Drop-off Event on the weekends and we will compost them for you. Care to thoroughly smash your pumpkins? Find the Pumpkin Toss setups at two sites this year; Monroe Street Farmers Market and Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, on Nov 8, 15, and 22 from 10am to 1pm.

11/07/2025

It’s the end of the pumpkin season, DC— and those porch pumpkins can have a second life. When it comes time to toss them; remember, jack-o-lanterns are food waste, too, and they can be composted. Bring your old pumpkins to one of 12 weekend food waste drop-off events or, break them down and bring to one of the 31 food waste smart bins citywide.
Find all locations at zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.

11/07/2025

11/06/2025

SERVICE REMINDER: There will be no DC Department of Public Works-provided trash, recycling, and food waste collection on Veterans Day (Tuesday, November 11, 2025) and Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 27, 2025).

Your typical collection day will "slide" to the next day for the rest of the week.

Follow and visit dpw.dc.gov for updates.

10/25/2025

Make it rain pumpkins this year! Join us for a Pumpkin Toss on Sat., Nov. 8, 15 & 22.

After your jack-o-lanterns have served their purpose this season, let's compost them rather than throw them away.

DC Department of Public Works and its partners have organized Pumpkin Toss events at two locations in Washington, DC, over three weekends: Saturdays, November 8, 15, and 22.

The smashing will occur at the food waste drop-off sites near the Mount Pleasant and Monroe Street Farmers Markets.

While pumpkins will be accepted at all 12 of DPW's food waste drop-off events this year, the Pumpkin Toss will take place at two of them.

Important note! To compost your old pumpkins, remove all paint, glitter, glue, and stickers.

If you cannot join us for the events, but you still want to compost your pumpkins, clean off all decorations, and cut them into 3-inch pieces before dropping them off at one of DPW's 31 food waste smart bins citywide. Find all drop-off sites at zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.

Learn more about sustainable Halloween decorations by checking out the holiday recycling guide at zerowaste.dc.gov/holiday.