The City of Cupertino is committed to delivering programs and services that help residents and businesses divert food and plants from the landfill. These programs and services include the following:

• Curbside Composting:  All residents of single family homes and participating multi-family complexes can put food scraps, food-soiled paper, and plants in their green or brown organics cart. These materials are collected by your garbage hauler, Recology, and turned into nutrient rich compost. 
• Compost Site: Free bulk compost is available to all Cupertino residents at the City’s compost site. 
• Home Composting: The UC Cooperative Extension Composting Education Program offers community classes throughout Santa Clara County that teach residents how to build compost piles and worm bins and apply the compost in their landscapes and gardens. 
• Commercial Organics: Many businesses and large properties in Cupertino are mandated to collect organic material for recycling under a three-phase program.

Why Compost?

Composting your is an easy way to keep organic material out of the landfill and reduce the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.  When food scraps are sent to the landfill, they emit methane, which is 25 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.  Compost made from the food scraps is a valuable resource for landscapers, farmers, community gardens, and home gardens. Using compost helps soil retain water and reduces water consumption.

When you put food scraps down the garbage disposal, it takes a lot of energy for wastewater treatment plants to clean the water – not to mention it can cost a lot of money to fix clogged up pipes and disposals.