Separating food and yard waste: what the rules really say

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"Composting is now mandatory," "you can be fined for throwing away your peels": since separate collection of food scraps became more common, you hear all sorts of contradictory claims. The reality is simpler, and rather reassuring.

In this guide, we look at what the rules actually say, who the obligation applies to, the options open to you, and how to find out what your local government offers. We stick strictly to the facts.

What has changed in recent years?

In Europe, the Waste Framework Directive, revised in 2018 (Directive 2018/851), requires biowaste to be either collected separately or recycled at source from the end of 2023. In France, for example, sorting biowaste at source has been mandatory for everyone, households included, since January 1, 2024. The United States has no equivalent federal rule: where requirements exist, they are set by states and cities and vary from place to place. To find out exactly what applies where you live, check with your city, county, or waste service.

The idea is not entirely new. Large producers (restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, food industries…) have long been expected to handle their food waste separately in many countries. The trend everywhere is toward extending separate collection to all households.

What counts as biowaste?

For a household, biowaste covers two main categories:

• Food and kitchen waste: peels, leftovers, damaged fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags, stale bread, expired food without its packaging.
• Yard waste: grass clippings, fallen leaves, hedge and shrub trimmings, small branches.

On the other hand, so-called "biodegradable" plastic bags and packaging are not biowaste for your compost bin: they have no place in a backyard compost pile. To find out exactly what a garden composter accepts, see our guide What to put in your compost bin.

Who does what: local government and households

Your local government provides a solution

This is the heart of the system. The goal is for every household to have a practical way to separate its food scraps, and it is the authority responsible for waste (usually your city or county) that organizes it by offering residents a way to separate waste at source.

Handing out a few compost bins is not enough: a good separate collection program also involves supporting and informing residents.

And you, as a resident?

Sorting concerns everyone who produces biowaste, so all of us: the right habit is to stop putting food scraps and yard waste in the regular trash can whenever a solution exists near you. Penalties and targets for households, if any, depend on the rules where you live.

One key point: your city or county sets out, in its collection rules, how your waste should be put out (which bin, which day, which waste). These are the local instructions you need to follow. If in doubt, ask your local government.

Key takeaways

It is not the compost bin that is mandatory, it is sorting. Your local government provides a solution, and you choose the one that suits you best: composting at home, using a shared composter, or separate collection.

The 3 possible solutions

Composting at home

If you have a yard, this is the simplest and cheapest solution: your waste never leaves your property, and you get a free soil amendment for your plants. A bin such as our Compostys wooden composter is enough for most households; our guide Starting your compost bin step by step walks you through the first additions. In an apartment, a worm composter takes over: we explain how it works in our guide How does a worm composter work?, and bokashi lets you ferment your food scraps before adding them to soil, compost, or worms. The diagram sums up the three solutions: composting at home (1), the shared composter (2), and separate collection (3).

The shared composter

Outside an apartment building, in a public park or community garden, or at the neighborhood level, bins are made available to several households. One or more trained volunteers make sure they run smoothly, and everyone brings their food scraps.

Separate collection

Your city collects food scraps separately: curbside, in a dedicated bin or sometimes a colored bag, or at drop-off points set up on the street. The collected waste is then composted or processed by anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. For bulky yard waste, your local drop-off center is also an option.

How can I find out what my city offers?

Contact the authority responsible for waste collection in your area. This is usually your city or county, but in some areas it may be a different agency or a contracted waste hauler. To find it:

• look at the name printed on your trash can or on your collection calendar;
• check your city's or county's website or newsletter, under "trash and recycling" or "composting";
• simply ask your city hall, which will point you in the right direction.

Many cities offer compost bins or worm composters at a reduced price, sometimes free of charge, often with a short workshop. Check before you buy: it is also a chance to learn the local rules and whether there is a shared composter near you.

Willy's tip

Start with a kitchen compost pail with a lid, such as our Kaylis 7L compost bin: whatever solution your city offers, everything goes through it.

Why it matters: key figures

• A third of the trash can. Biowaste makes up around a third of the contents of our household trash.
• Around 154 lb (70 kg) per person per year of waste can be composted.
• Less methane. Buried in a landfill, biowaste breaks down without air and produces methane, a gas with a warming potential around 25 times greater than that of CO₂. Composted, it returns to the soil.
• Half the population in France equipped. In spring 2025, around 32 million people in France had access to a biowaste sorting solution, roughly half the population.

What about burning yard waste?

Burning leaves, grass clippings, or branches in your yard, whether in the open or in a backyard burn barrel, may be restricted or prohibited depending on where you live, and can be a nuisance to your neighbors; check your local rules. It is also highly polluting. Composting, shredding, or mulching this waste is far more useful in the garden: the rules, exceptions, and alternatives are covered in our guide to yard waste.

In short

Separate handling of biowaste, meaning food scraps and yard waste, has been required in the EU since the end of 2023, while in the United States the rules are set by states and cities. In practice, it is mainly local governments that organize a solution for each household: home composting, a shared composter, or separate collection. Rules for households vary from place to place; you simply need to follow your local instructions, and you can ask your city which solutions exist near you. Burning yard waste is best avoided, and is restricted or prohibited in many areas.

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