No trash pickup? Here’s how to compost in Philadelphia instead
With Philly trash collection paused during the city worker strike, here’s how to start composting: What to compost, where to drop it off, and which services offer home pickup.
With Philadelphia city workers on strike, trash pickup has been suspended — and food waste is piling up fast. If you’re trying to avoid smells, flies, and overflowing bins, composting can help cut down your garbage load while doing something good for the planet.
Philly doesn’t offer citywide compost pickup, but there are plenty of options — including local drop-off sites and home collection services that provide a sealed bin and do most of the dirty work for you.
Here’s how to compost during the strike, what you can (and can’t) toss in your bin, and where to bring your scraps until city trash service resumes.
» READ MORE: Philly DC 33 strike: Where to drop off your trash and recycling
What can you compost right now to cut down on trash?
These items are compostable at home and accepted by most services:
Fruit and vegetable peels and cores
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags (paper only)
Eggshells
Stale bread, rice, and grains
Nutshells
Flowers and houseplant trimmings
Brown paper bags, napkins, and paper towels
Dryer lint, pet hair, and human hair (as long as it’s untreated)
Fireplace ash (cold and wood-only)
Avoid adding these at home — and check your service’s rules:
Meat, bones, or seafood (some services accept)
Dairy (only some services accept)
Cooking oils and grease
Pet waste or cat litter
“Compostable” plastics and wipes
Charcoal or coal ash
Glossy, coated, or painted paper
Chemically treated yard waste
📍 Where to drop off your compost in Philly
You can also drop off compost at designated sites throughout the city — but access varies by location. Some are public, some are for garden members only, and some are school-specific. Always check hours and rules before you go.
Public drop-off sites
📍 34 S. 11th St., Philadelphia, Pa., 🌐 momsorganicmarket.com, 🕒 Open daily, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.,💡 Free and open to the public.
Bring scraps in a compostable bag or reusable container (no plastic).
📍 913 N. Third St., Philadelphia, Pa, 19123, 🌐 Facebook, 📧 nolibscompost@gmail.com, 🕒 Public drop-off every Saturday at 11 a.m.
Members-only drop-off Sites
Pleasant Playground Garden:📍 305 Slocum St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19119, 🌐 Facebook 📧 pleasantplaygroundgarden@gmail.com, 🔐 Access: Garden members only
Lawncrest Community Garden:📍 6000 Rising Sun Ave., Philadelphia, Pa., 19111, 🌐 Facebook, 📧 srb215@comcast.net, 🔐 Access: Garden members only
St. James School:📍 3217 W. Clearfield St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19132, 📧 srowe@stjamesphila.org, 🔐 Access: School members only
Brewerytown Garden:📍 2634-44 Master St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19121, 🌐 brewerytowngarden.com, 📧 brewerytown.garden@gmail.com, 🔐 Access: Trained garden members only
Temple Community Garden:📍 West Diamond St. & North Carlisle St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19121, 🌐 templecommunitygarden.com, 📧 caroline.burkholder@temple.edu, 🔐 Access: Temple students and garden members only
Cesar Andreu Iglesias Garden:📍 425 Arlington St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19122, 🌐 Facebook, 📧 marahenao02@gmail.com, 🔐 Access: Garden members only
Collins Smith Barrick Play Garden:📍 2052 E. Hagert St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19125, 🌐 ngtrust.org, 📧 csbplaygarden@gmail.com, 🔐 Access: Co-op members only
Eighth & Poplar Farm:📍 800 Poplar St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19123, 🌐 Instagram, 📧 bigsci7@gmail.com, brycer@fncphilly.org, michaelh@fncphilly.org, 🔐 Access: Under review
Want pickup service? These Philly compost companies will handle it for you
Want someone to deal with your scraps? These companies offer home pickup — you get a sealed 5-gallon bucket, and they come by weekly or every other week, depending on your plan. Great for rowhomes and apartments.
💰 $21/month for weekly pickup
✅ Accepts: Fruits, vegetables, eggs and shells, meat, bones, dairy, pasta, bread, coffee grounds, tea bags, rice, grains, soiled cardboard and napkins, fireplace ash, pet hair, untreated houseplants
❌ Does not accept: Pet waste, compostable wipes, plastic-feeling “biodegradable” containers, charcoal ash
📆 Pickup Day: After 9 p.m. once a week; varies by neighborhood
💰 $21/month for weekly pickup (or choose biweekly for a lower cost)
✅ Accepts: Food scraps, cut flowers, pencil shavings, tofu, paper towels and napkins, corncobs, untreated pet hair and dead plants, olive pits, used matches, rolling papers
❌ Does not accept: Compostable plastic kitchenware or sugarcane-based containers, anything that looks or feels like plastic
📆 Pickup Day: Weekly or biweekly based on your selected plan
Suburban compost pickup options
If you’re outside Philly proper:
Mother Compost (Main Line & nearby suburbs)
💰 $26–$40/month depending on number of buckets and pickup plan
✅ Accepts: Food scraps, dryer lint, cut flowers, napkins, egg shells
❌ No meat or large yard waste
💰 $18/month
📆 Pickup every other week
✅ Accepts: Cereal, bread, straw, plant trimmings, grains, produce scraps
💰 $20/month (1 bucket), $27/month (2 buckets)
📆 Pickup every other week
✅ Accepts: Over 20 food and household items
❌ No rubber bands, twist ties, junk mail, meat, or plastic
Want to compost at home instead?
If you’ve got the space, you can manage composting yourself. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends storing scraps in a sealed container (or freezing them) until you’re ready to build your pile outside. Use the “lasagna” method — alternate layers of greens (wet food waste) and browns (paper, leaves, cardboard) to promote balance and air flow. Your compost pile should heat up to around 140°F to break down materials effectively.
Michelle Myers contributed to this report.