Top: Sustainable Community Farms in Detroit composts food scraps collected in the neighborhood. Photo courtesy Michelle Jackson

The City of Detroit’s (MI) Office of Sustainability launched its first-ever Compost Pilot Program in August 2025. Funded by a one-year, $100,000 grant from Carhartt, the program brings together partners including Doers Edge, the City’s Department of Public Works, Scrap Soils, and community farms to divert food waste from landfills, improve soil health, and lay the groundwork for a citywide composting system. Detroit residents can register to participate in the pilot by completing a sign-up form. The first 200 residents to enroll receive a free 5-gallon composting bucket for approved compostable materials, including fruit and vegetable scraps, small bones, eggshells, plate scrapings, napkins, food-soiled paper products, coffee grounds, and used paper towels. The Detroit People’s Food Co-op will serve as the central drop-off partner for participating households. Drop-off instructions and educational resources will be shared directly with enrolled participants.

“The pilot is an exciting step forward in how Detroit manages food waste and invests in our communities,” notes Patrice Brown, Deputy Director of Urban Agriculture at the City of Detroit Office of Sustainability. “By turning scraps into nutrient-rich soil, we’re not only reducing what ends up in landfills — we’re creating a circular system that supports local farms, healthier neighborhoods, and sustainable food production.”