Written by Alison Strapek
If you choose Austin for your apartment or condo, you probably already feel pretty lucky to live in such a unique town with such a great atmosphere. And now, Austin is one of the only cities in the U.S. that guarantees that multifamily residents can easily compost at home.
As of October 1, 2024, the City of Austin will provide residents and employees with convenient commercial compost collection for multifamily housing, including apartments, condos, out-of-state dormitories, assisted living facilities, and retirement homes. is required to be accessible. And with more than 500,000 Austin residents living in these types of properties, tons of composting opportunities exist. The new requirements will help move Austin toward its zero waste goal.
Composting is the process of “recycling” organic materials such as food waste, plant materials, and paper products. This process turns these organic materials into resources rather than waste. Do you compost your fruits and vegetables? of course. Meat and seafood? yes. Pizza boxes and coffee filters? I’m sure. Check out our Curbside Composting Guide to find out if your items are compostable. As a general rule of thumb, once it grows, it goes into the green composting cart.
What does this ordinance mean for real estate?
If you are a multifamily property, you must place a compost container within 25 feet of each landfill waste container on your property and ensure that the compost is removed weekly by a licensed hauler.
Participating residents will be asked to collect their food scraps in containers at home and dispose of them in compost bins before collection. Use a reusable container (make sure it has a lid), such as a kitchen collector, to collect food scraps. Containers can be lined with paper towels, newspaper, BPI-approved compostable bags, or both. Pro tip: Try sprinkling baking soda on food scraps and refrigerating or freezing them until your store collection date.
If you don’t know how to compost in your apartment or condo, we can help. The same goes for property managers. Your facility is expected to educate residents about composting services through ongoing activities such as videos, emails, maps, and signage.
Why is composting important?
When organic materials are disposed of in a landfill instead of being composted, methane gas is released from the items. Methane gas warms the atmosphere over time and becomes harmful. Residents and employees of multifamily properties are encouraged to take advantage of easy access to this new composting service. With your help as participating residents, Austin will become a cleaner, more sustainable city.
Not yet composting on your property? Ask your property manager when they plan to start the service. Are you passionate about zero waste? Consider becoming a Zero Waste Block Leader to motivate people in Austin to compost, recycle, and reuse.
