Orange County’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience and the Utilities Solid Waste Management Division launched a Residential Food Waste Diversion and Composting Pilot Program in spring 2026 with support from the Board of County Commissioners. The pilot offered eligible households a free backyard composting bin or a trial of a food‑waste collection service. More than 600 residents expressed interest, reflecting community support for reducing the roughly 10 percent of landfill waste that comes from food scraps.
Prior to the launch, the County partnered with the University of Florida IFAS Orange County Extension Office to survey residents, receiving more than 1,000 responses that shaped the program. Seven composting workshops attracted over 330 attendees, and more than 220 residents began participating by receiving a bin or collection trial. Over 70 percent of those interested indicated a desire to reduce landfill waste and use finished compost at home. Participant feedback will inform future expansion of the program, which aligns with the county’s goal of cutting per‑customer landfill disposal tonnage by 15 percent.
Press release issued by Orange County Government Newsroom:
https://newsroom.ocfl.net/2026/10/food-waste-composting-pilot-program/
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