Be one of 80 Morristown households to help reduce pollution, greenhouse gases, cut costs, and build a greener future.The program will begin Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Sign Up Now

Small Actions Create a Big Impact

We're turning trash into an opportunity.

When food waste goes into the garbage, it ends up in a landfill where it produces methane - a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO2. It harms the environment and it's expensive. Like every other municipality in New Jersey, Morristown pays by ton for waste disposal, diverting trash saves our town money. These savings can then be used toward programs and amenities the town can actually use and enjoy!

By composting food scraps, the nutrients can enrich our soil, gardens, lawns, and green spaces across our community.

This pilot puts Morristown ahead of the curve.

Food waste composting is a standard practice in cities and towns across the country and around the world. New Jersey is learning from those practices and is moving in the same direction. Food waste reduction will be required in each county, so getting it right now means Morristown has time to build the right habits and infrastructure before enforcement begins.

Become a Founding Program Member.

This is an 80-household pilot is a small, intentional group of early adopters who will help shape how Morristown manages food waste for years to come. Your participation matters, and we can’t wait to work with you!

HOW IT WORKS

It's simple. Four steps.

1. Learn — After signing up, you'll receive everything you need to get started, including simple instructions on what can and cannot be composted, how the program works, and tips for successful composting.

2. Collect — Use the provided 1-gallon kitchen caddy (or another small container) to collect food scraps throughout the day. You can also store scraps in the freezer to minimize odors.

3. Store — When your kitchen caddy is full, transfer the contents to the provided 5-gallon Java Compost bucket. Keep the bucket in your garage, on a porch, or another convenient location until you're ready to drop it off.

4. Drop Off — Bring your food scraps to either of Morristown's two secure drop-off locations using the four-digit code you'll receive after registering. All food scraps must be placed in a BPI-certified compostable bag and hand-tied before dropping them off.

     ·  South Street location — open 24/7

     ·  Recycling Center location — open during recycling center hours

Participants receive at no additional cost:

●     5-gallon Java's Compost bucket

●     1-gallon kitchen caddy

●     One box of 2.5-gallon compostable liner bags (30 count)

DROP OFF LOCATIONS

Two Drop-Off Locations:

• Morristown Municipal Building — 200 South Street, Morristown

 

• Morristown Recycling Center — 90 Lake Road, Morristown

 

Security:

To avoid contamination, we will provide a 4 digit pin, and you will use that pin to access the drop off bin.

WHAT'S ACCEPTED & NOT ACCEPTED

Accepted:

·  Fruits (+ pits) & vegetables

·  Legumes

·  Bread, nuts (nutshells) & grains

·  Fish & seafood (including shells)

·  Meat & bones (cooked/raw)

·  Processed foods, fats, oils

·  Eggs & eggshells (including dyed eggs)

·  Dairy products

·  Compostable bags & BPI certified products (or ASTM D6400 standard)

·  Floral & plant waste (no yard waste, nothing treated w/ pesticides)

·  Paper towels & napkins (white ribbed ones & printed designs are ok)

·  Paper towel & toilet paper cores

·  Baby formula & pet food

·  Uncoated paper clamshell containers (molded pulp/berry boxes)

·  Uncoated paper plates, parchment paper, paper muffin liners/wrappers

·  Wooden & bamboo serving ware/chopsticks, wooden matchsticks

·  Pencil sharpener shavings (graphite pencils only)

·  Additional: cheesecloth, pet/human hair (not from a salon)

NOT Accepted:

·  Chemicals & cleaning wipes/products

·  Stickers (including produce stickers)

·  Rubber bands, twist ties, & string

·  Diapers

·  Pet waste or feces (including litter)

·  Plastic bottles, containers, wrap

·  Plastic coated paper products, styrofoam

·  Metal or aluminum utensils, containers/cans, foil

·  Glass bottles or containers

·  Tetra packs or milk cartons

·  Wine corks

·  Q-tips or medications

·  Menstrual products

·  Hair from a salon

·  Newspaper/ink

·  Envelope windows, glossy paper

·  Fireplace ash

·  Grass clippings & landscape waste, Miracle Gro

·  Additional: frozen food boxes, stamps

You can visit our partner’s FAQs page for more information: https://www.javascompost.com/faqs

HOW TO SIGN UP

Participation is voluntary and heavily subsidized.

The pilot costs just $10 for a full 6 months of service — Spots are limited to 80 households.

Click here to Sign Up!

QUESTIONS?

Email us at: mec@townofmorristown.org

This program is brought to you by the Town of Morristown Environmental Commission