More than half of the material landfilled by Fort Collins residents and businesses could be composted. Finding alternatives for handling these materials is important for meeting both waste reduction and climate action goals. When food scraps or yard trimmings break down in the landfill, they generate the potent greenhouse gas methane.

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Organics were included in early conversations about the Community Recycling Ordinance in 2015, and then further researched in early 2017. Findings in 2017 concluded the cost of service would be excessively high due to the long distance to composting facilities. Fort Collins City Council requested staff to return to the topic once a compost facility was available within reasonable distance of Fort Collins.

Through the Regional Wasteshed Project, the opportunity has arisen for a compost facility to be built adjacent to Fort Collins, If Fort Collins adopts food composting policy, Larimer County has agreed to build a food scrap compost facility in the next few years. 

Organics were included in the following past conversations with City Council

• October 13, 2015 (Work Session) – initial discussions of the Community Recycling Ordinance, including organics
• Video
• Written Materials
• January 26, 2016 (Work Session) – conversation about Community Recycling Ordinance, including refining project to focus on multi-family and commercial recycling
• Video
• Written Materials
• May 23, 2017 (Work Session)  -- review of the financial, greenhouse gas, and program impacts of organics program options
• Video
• Written Materials