Mecklenburg County Recycling’s Food Waste Program gives residents an opportunity to drop their food waste off for composting instead of putting them in the trash. Don’t have a bucket to put your food scraps in? They’re giving them away for free!
Where to get a Food Waste Bucket
You can pick up a FREE Food Waste Bucket on Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at one of the full-service recycling centers. Upcoming dates in 2025 (at the time of this update):
- June 4: Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Road, Charlotte)
- June 11: Compost Central (140 Valleydale Road, Charlotte)
- June 18: Foxhole (17131 Lancaster Highway, Charlotte)
- June 25: Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Road, Charlotte)
If you’re looking at this article after those dates, find upcoming events at wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/events.
Or you can get one at the Land Use & Environmental Services Agency building, 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, NC, during their opening hours Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The bucket has a very secure lid and handle. Inside you’ll find instructions, some compostable bags, and a squeezy lettuce toy.
What You Can Drop Off
Anything that’s edible can be put in the bucket and dropped off at a full-service recycling center to be composted.
That includes:
- Fruits and veggies
- Breads, rice, pasta
- Meet and dairy
- Desserts
Non-food items need to go in the trash, not the food waste bucket:
- Plastic-coated paper plates
- To-go drink cups
- To-go containers and utensils
- Paper towels and napkins
- Compostable utensils and plates
- Plastic bags and ziplock bags
- Snack wrappers
Where to Take the Food Waste
You can bring your food scraps to these full-service recycling locations:
- Compost Central Recycling Center, 140 Valleydale Road, Charlotte, NC
- Hickory Grove Recycling Center, 8007 Pence Road, Charlotte, NC
- Foxhole Recycling Center, 17131 Lancaster Hwy, Charlotte, NC
Mecklenburg County Recycling anticipates that the North Mecklenburg location at 12300 N Statesville Road, Huntersville, North Carolina, will be ready to accept food scraps at the end of July, when construction is complete.
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