ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Clean your plate. It’s an order many parents have issued at dinner time. But, if you’re looking for something to do with those leftovers, Asheville and Buncombe County have a program that can help.

A free Food Scrap Drop-Off program for Asheville and Buncombe County residents has kept more than 405 tons of food waste out of the landfill since launching in fall 2021, city officials said. And those scraps are helping local farmers.

Residents may take their food scraps to any of eight collections bins — six in the city and two in the county. The organic matter is collected by a hauler and turned into clean compost that is then sold, with the money covering the cost of the program.

“It’s been going great,” Asheville Waste Reduction Program Manager Alex Miller said. “We have diverted 800,011 pounds of food scraps from the landfill.”

Danny’s Dumpster of Asheville hauls the scraps away and turns them into clean compost. Owner Danny Keaton said most of the compost is sold by delivery only ($60 per cubic yard).

“I sell to a lot of local farmers, but I’ll sell to homeowners, also,” Keaton said.

Miller said more than 3,800 people/households have registered to participate in the program.

Participating in the program is easy, and it keeps the organic matter out of the landfill, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions, Miller said. The program is for household use only, no businesses or institutions.

Earlier this month, Asheville and Buncombe County received an award from the Carolina Recycling Association for the program and their efforts in recycling and waste reduction.

To fill out a registration form and get information on where to get a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin, CLICK HERE.

Food scrap bin locations:

Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center
85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Saturday

East Asheville Library, near the basketball court
3 Avon Road, Asheville
Open during library hours

Leicester Library, at the end of the parking lot near the garden
1561 Alexander Road, Leicester
Open during library hours

Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library, on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
Dawn to dusk

Stephens-Lee Recreation Center, next to the Community Garden on the north side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Ave., Asheville
9 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday
11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday

Skyland/South Buncombe Library, on the southwest side of the building and accessible via the parking area
260 Overlook Road, Asheville
Open during library hours

West Asheville Library, on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
Open during library hours

Transfer Station (Because of congestion in the lot, officials ask that you use this drop-off only if you are dropping off other waste.)
190 Hominy Creek Road, Asheville
8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday–Friday
8 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday