Mayor Higgins Launches Miami Composting Pilot

Mayor Higgins Launches Miami Composting Pilot

Published on May 01, 2026

Today, Mayor Eileen Higgins announced the launch of the City of Miami's new Composting Pilot Program, a three-month food-scraps diversion initiative led by the City's Department of Solid Waste. The program advances Miami's sustainability and resilience goals by reducing landfill waste, cutting methane emissions, and testing a scalable model for composting across City operations and public spaces.

Running from May 1 through July 31, 2026, the pilot will operate at five locations across the City: Miami City Hall, the Miami River Center (MRC) Cafeteria, Charles Hadley Park, Morningside Park, and Shenandoah Park.

"This pilot is about delivering practical climate action that residents can see and take part in," said Mayor Eileen Higgins. "Food scraps that would have gone to a landfill are turned into nutrient-rich compost for City of Miami parks. That's full circle. But it only works when we get it right together. That means learning what goes in the bin and what does not. A lemon is compostable. The sticker on it is not. The goal is a pilot that proves composting can work in every neighborhood in Miami because it is good for the environment and good for our budget."

The initiative will test composting operations in real-world settings, track performance and costs, measure participation, and identify solutions to contamination challenges. The data collected will inform a potential citywide program.

"This program allows us to test, measure, and refine a system that has the potential to transform how Miami diverts food waste from landfills," said Dale Henderson, Director of the Department of Solid Waste. "We are approaching this with discipline and intention so that any future expansion is grounded in real data and operational success."

The program will be implemented in partnership with the City of Miami Parks Department and Compost for Life, a local organization that will collect and process food scraps into nutrient-rich compost.

Accepted materials include fruits, vegetables, bread, pasta, rice, grains, nuts, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, brown paper, non-glossy paper, paper towels, and animal protein (raw or cooked). Liquids, grease, fat, and oil will not be accepted.

"This is exactly the type of community-based solution we need to address climate challenges," said Sonia Brubaker, Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Miami. "Reducing organic waste not only cuts methane emissions, it strengthens our resilience by returning nutrients to the soil and supporting healthier ecosystems."

To encourage public participation, the City and its partners will host three community engagement activations featuring composting education, outreach, and on-site guidance throughout the pilot.

"We are proud to partner with the City of Miami on this important initiative," said Francisco Torres, Founder of Compost for Life. "This program shows how cities can work hand-in-hand with local organizations to create practical, scalable solutions that benefit both the environment and the community."

Residents who want to participate will need toregister onlinebefore using the compost bins. After signing up, they'll receive a secure access code that will allow them to access any of the composting locations, along with simple instructions on what can and cannot be composted. This helps keep the program easy to use while reducing contamination and ensuring everyone is set up to compost correctly.

At the conclusion of the pilot, the City will evaluate the total amount of organics diverted, cost per ton, participation levels, and contamination rates, alongside broader environmental impact metrics, including methane emissions avoided and the benefits of returning nutrients to the soil. The results will inform future decisions on expanding composting efforts and advancing Miami's broader climate and sustainability goals.

Additional details will be released in the coming weeks.

Watch the launch videohere