The city and county's joint Food Scraps Drop-Off program continues to gain traction since its 2021 launch. Soon, locals will be able to drop off compost for free at eight different sites throughout Buncombe County, with six of those spots in the city limits.

The two newest drop-off locations to join the program will open later this month at Leicester Library and the East Asheville Library.

Wondering about the program's impact so far? According to a report from the City of Asheville, 160 tons of food scraps have been diverted from the landfill (that's about the weight of 80 cars). And so far, 2,300 households have registered to participate in the program.

What's next for the program? At today's Asheville City Council meeting, the city is expected to formalize a five-year agreement with Buncombe County to continue growing the program.

The six other active drop-off sites include:

Buncombe County Landfill, 85 Panther Branch Rd.
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library, 749 Fairview Rd.
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, 30 Washington Carver Ave.
Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd.
West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Rd.
Transfer Station, 190 Hominy Creek Rd.

New to public composting? Be sure to register for the program to get special instructions (and receive a free compost bin). Note that each drop-off has its own hours and process. Consult this guide to determine what’s compostable at public sites and be sure to check out our beginner's guide to composting to learn more about the process.