Mayor Brandon Johnson, Department of Streets and Sanitation, And Chicago Public Library Expand Food Scrap Drop-Off Program To 13 New Library Locations

CHICAGO - Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS), and Chicago Public Library (CPL) today announced a new partnership to bring the City's Food Scrap Drop-Off Program to 13 library locations, increasing the total number of drop-off sites across Chicago to 33.

Launched in October 2023, the Food Scrap Drop-Off Program has seen strong participation. More than 7,400 households have signed up, and over one million pounds of food waste has been diverted from landfills to composting. In response to growing demand, the City is expanding beyond the current 20 DSS facility sites. This next phase locates drop-off sites outside neighborhood libraries, trusted community spaces that make composting even more convenient and accessible.

"Diverting food waste from landfills to composting is one of the easiest and most impactful actions individuals and cities can take to fight climate change," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "This collaboration between CPL and DSS makes composting even more convenient for Chicago residents and builds on our shared vision of a cleaner, greener and healthier city."

Guided by the City's climate goals and the strong momentum of the program, DSS partnered with CPL to identify library locations that bring environmental action closer to where people live, learn and gather.

"We're excited to partner with CPL in this effort to make composting more accessible for all residents," said DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard. "It will increase our material diversion rate and help meet goals in the City's 2022 Climate Action Plan and 2021 Waste Strategy."

New drop-off locations include:

• Avalon Branch - 8148 S. Stony Island Ave.
• Dunning Branch - 7455 W. Cornelia Ave.
• Edgebrook Branch - 5331 W. Devon Ave.
• Hegewisch Branch - 3048 E. 130th St.
• Lincoln Belmont Branch - 1659 W. Melrose St.
• Portage-Cragin Branch - 5108 W. Belmont Ave.
• Scottsdale Branch - 4101 W. 79th St.
• Sherman Park Branch - 5440 S. Racine Ave.
• Toman Branch - 2708 S. Pulaski Rd.
• Uptown Branch - 929 W. Buena Ave.
• Vodak-East Branch - 3710 E. 106th St.
• West Chicago Avenue Branch - 4856 W. Chicago Ave.
• Woodson Regional Library - 9525 S. Halsted St.

"Chicago Public Library is proud to be a neighborhood destination for climate learning and action," said Commissioner Chris Brown. "At select locations, residents can now participate in composting and pick up a book to learn more about it. Whether it's access to broadband, books or sustainability programs, CPL connects Chicagoans to the knowledge and tools that help build healthier, more resilient communities."

The program is free and open to all Chicago residents. To get started, residents can sign up at chi.gov/composting and watch a short instructional video. Residents can then start collecting their household food waste and bring it to the green carts at their selected drop-off site as often as needed. Accepted materials include all types of food scraps, including meat, bones and dairy. Non-food waste is not accepted. DSS collects the food waste, and it is transported to a local facility in Chicago where it's processed into nutrient-rich compost.

Benefits of Composting:

Keeping food waste out of landfills has significant climate benefits. When food waste and other organic materials decompose in a landfill, methane is produced. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas that is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. According to ReFED, methane reduction is a key "emergency brake" in the fight against climate change.

For more information about the Food Scrap Drop-Off Program, including a full list of drop-off sites and how to sign up, visit chi.gov/composting.

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