Why Compost?
Did you know… food scraps make up 19% of the landfill?- EPA
Less than a quarter of Fairfax residents use their green carts for food scraps and less than half use them at all. -Marin Sanitary Services
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Rotting food in the landfill does not receive enough oxygen to breakdown organically. It ends up releasing METHANE, a greenhouse gas 20 TIMES more potent than CO2.
PLEASE DO NOT PUT COMPOSTABLE PLASTICS IN THE GREEN CART- THEY MUST BE DISPOSED OF IN THE LANDFILL CART!
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Plant-based plastics often referred to as “biodegradable” or “compostable” and marked with #7, are not being composted in Marin County because there is not a facility that accepts them.
“Just one household adds approximately 200 POUNDS of compostable waste to the landfills each year.” -Zero Waste Marin
Process of Composting with Marin Sanitary Service
● Food starts in your home which you throw into your green cart along with your yard waste (use a biobag, paper bag, or shred paper at the bottom of the bin).
● Then it travels to Marin Sanitary Service, where it is processed.
● It is then transported to Zamora Compost Facility in Yolo County, which is approximately two hours away.
● Here it is processed in a machine at temperatures of 140-170 degrees fahrenheit, which kills any pathogens and turns the product into a nutrient rich compost.
● It is then distributed and sold throughout California, mainly to farmers, but it is also brought back to Marin.
● Three times a year the soil is available for free in the Fairfax Pavilion parking lot. It is made up of all organic (all things once living), materials- not USDA certified.