Food waste makes up nearly half of what we throw away—and when it ends up in landfills, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas 85x more powerful than CO₂. Composting is an easy, effective way to cut waste, build healthy soil, and protect the climate.

4 simple ways to compost in Park Ridge​

Pick the one that works for you:

New! Yard Waste + Food Scraps

Coming soon! Starting May 2026, residents can add food scraps to their seasonal yard waste collection, from April 1st through the last full week in December.

Drop-Off

Free, easy, and open to all.
Bring your food scraps to designated collection sites around Park Ridge—no sign-up needed. Locations include: Triangle Lot ​(across from the library) & Dee Road Metra Station

Curbside Pick-Up

Compost made easy, right from your door. Sign up with The Urban Canopy for affordable curbside pickup. They’ll swap out clean, odor-free containers on your schedule. 

Backyard/DIY

Turn your own food and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost—right at home. A good fit for those who want to take full control of their food waste.

Why compost?

Reuses waste 
With up to 40% of food in the U.S. wasted, composting keeps food waste out of landfills, reducing methane emissions—an extremely potent greenhouse gas—while creating nutrient-rich soil.  

It’s so easy! 
With half of municipal garbage being compostable, every scrap diverted helps. There are many ways to compost, including curbside service, dropoff locations (coming soon!) and DIY. Click the button to learn more.

​Leaves a legacy​
​Composting also strengthens communities, creating twice as many jobs as landfilling and turning waste into opportunity for people and the planet.