Iowa City has announced that compost will be collected citywide beginning March 13.

According to a press release, “the new program will help divert some of the roughly 18,000 tons of food waste that reaches the Iowa City Landfill each year.”The statement reminds residents that they must supply their own 35-gallon container with an annual yard-waste sticker.

Residents of Iowa City are encouraged to compost many different types of materials, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, and paper products such as pizza boxes.

“The city has been working toward reducing Landfill food waste for several years,” the release stated. “The city set new waste minimization targets as part of its STAR sustainability ratings goal last year and also participated in a pilot program through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2014 that allowed the city to test curbside food waste collection and helped make the new composting program possible.”

— by Charles Peckman