For many years, households in Falls Church, Virginia could opt in for subsidized food waste collection provided by Compost Crew, a local organics hauler and composter. Now, under a new program, the City’s curbside solid waste customers will have the opportunity to receive a 35- or 65-gallon yellow organics cart for recycling food scraps and yard trimmings. “In September 2025, City Council approved the addition of a new third cart that will be used for organics recycling,” explains the city’s website.” Distribution of organics carts is scheduled to take place in Spring 2026.”

All Falls Church property owners will see a 1.5 cent reduction in the amount they pay for real estate taxes in Fiscal Year 2026. Current customers of the City’s curbside solid waste services, including single-family and townhome owners, will have a new solid waste fee added to their real estate tax bill in November 2025, with that fee based on whether they use a 65-gallon ($336/year) or 35-gallon ($236/year) gray trash cart for general refuse. Both fees include organics and recycling collection.

Current subscribers to Compost Crew’s food scraps collection service will no longer have the cost subsidized by the city of Falls Church after the organics carts are distributed (households were paying $8/month and the city paid $10/month). “The new yellow Organics Cart is both a replacement for the Compost Crew service and an expansion of service to more residents across the City,” explains the Falls Church Public Works department. “If subscribers are interested in continuing this program instead of using the City-issued Organics Cart, they will need to contact Compost Crew directly. If households choose to continue with Compost Crew, they may opt-out of receiving the new yellow Organics Cart. Opting-out will not affect the solid waste fee your household will be charged.”