Welcome to Know Food Waste’s compost drop-off program! In partnership with Ohio State’s Zero Waste team at Facilities and Operations Development, we’re launching a subsidized compost drop-off system allowing OSU students, faculty and staff a convenient option to drop off their compostable waste on campus.

Thanks to an Ohio State Energy Partners grant, we are able to offer this program at an incredibly low rate!

How it works:

Participants will be provided a 5-gallon bucket and one month of free compostable liners. You will be charged a $5 deposit for the bucket. You can start disposing your household food waste into the bucket and drop off your bagged compost to a designated location on campus weekly!

We operate on a 4-month cycle in line with OSU’s academic calendar. We have three sign ups windows that coincide with the start of our composting cycles. During the sign-up window, click the link below to be rerouted to our Qualtrics survey. After completing the survey, we will get you set up with your bucket and compostable lines to start composting!

Click here to sign up for the composting program!

Summer 2023 Bucket and Liner Pick Up times

Once you are enrolled, you can pickup your bucket/liners for the entire 4-month cycle at the following times.

Monday, May 22 – 10-11 am

Wednesday, May 24 – 1-2 pm

Friday, May 26 – 4-6 pm

Location:

Parker Food Science Building

2015 Fyffe Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210

Parking is available both behind and in front of the building. In the event of rain or poor weather, location will be moved to the lobby of Parker.

Summer Cycle

May 15 – September 15

Signups are open from May 1 – 15

Fall Cycle

September 15 – January 15

Signups are open from September 1 – 15.

Spring Cycle

January 15 – May 15

Signups are open from January 1 – 20.

Our Current Sign-up Options:

4-month plan + bucket

$5 bucket + $6/cycle

Are you ready to sign up now for the whole fall semester? You can choose to directly enroll in our 4-month plan. We operate on a 4-month cycle that coincides with OSU’s academic calendar. After signing up, you will be automatically enrolled in subsequent cycles and charged $6 at the start of each cycle. If you choose to stop composting with us, you can unsubscribe at any time. *To sign up for this option please use the link at the top of the page

4-month plan (NO BUCKET)

$6/cycle

Already have a bucket from composting with KFW during our pilot program or a previous cycle? You can also choose to directly enroll in our 4-month plan, We operate on a 4-month cycle that coincides with OSU’s academic calendar. After signing up, you will be automatically enrolled in subsequent cycles and charged $6 at the start of each cycle. If you choose to stop composting with us, you can unsubscribe at any time.

*To sign up for this option please click here.

Click here if you no longer wish to participate in the compost drop-off program.

Unsubscribe

FAQ

How do I sign up?

During the sign-up windows, you can sign up at the link above. You will fill out a survey with your information, then be routed to PayPal to pay your $5 bucket deposit and liner fee.

Can I sign up in the middle of a cycle?

No. You can only signup during our active sign-up windows: Jan. 1st-15, May 1st-15th, and September 1st-15th. You can join our email list here to be reminded when a new sign-up window opens.

Can I sign up without a PayPal Account?

Yes, you can pay with a debit/credit card to signup. However, we recommend you create a PayPal account for ease of unsubscribing and because your $5 bucket deposit will be returned through PayPal if you decide to stop composting.

Can I participate if I live in an on-campus dorm?

Our program currently does not support composting within residential halls. We hope to expand our services to students living in dorms soon. We encourage you to talk to your residential hall managers directly about how you can compost while living in the dorms!

How do I compost?

Composting is simple! You take the 5-gallon bucket and use it like a trash can, but only for food waste. We will provide you with a list of what is compostable and what is not. Use the compostable liners provided to line the bucket (like a trash bag in a trash bin) and the rubberband to secure the liner, then place the lid on top of the bucket. Each time you dispose of your compost, lift the lid to throw it away then reseal the lid.

What do the buckets look like?

Our buckets are 5-gallon sized buckets from Lowe’s with a sealable lid. Scroll to the top of this page to see a photo!

Does composting smell?

Some foods may have a stronger smell when composted, such as fish or dairy. We recommend dropping off your compost every week to two weeks at the longest, so odors do not accumulate.

How do I get the liner to stay in my bucket?

You will be provided with large rubber bands to hold the liner in place.

What if I need more compost bags?

We provide 18 bags during each subscription period, which allows for roughly one drop-off per week. We are unable to provide additional liners outside of our sign-up windows. However, if you need more bags, you are welcome to purchase more on your own.

If I am no longer enrolled, but I still have compost liners left over, am I able to drop off my compost?

Unfortunately, our $6 subscription cost covers both the cost of the liners and the fees for dropping off compost at the FOD site. If you are not actively enrolled through our program, you are unable to drop off compost at our site.