Front Range communities have ONE regional composting processor, A1 Organics. A1 has notified ALL communities within the state that they are receiving high levels of contamination. As a result, A1 cannot sell its finished compost product made from curbside residential compost programs. They are calling for a system reset and beginning April 1, 2023, will ONLY be accepting food scraps and yard and plant trimmings from compost programs. 

The City of Lafayette supports the need to reduce contamination in our residential curbside composting program. Simplifying the program by only allowing food scraps and yard and plant trimmings, will help reduce contamination being brought to A1. 

A1 Organics is enforcing these new guidelines with all communities across the Front Range, regardless of the waste hauler, due to the increased contamination they have received. Simplifying the acceptable materials in compost programs will support A1 Organics' goal of creating a high-quality and usable finished product.

No. A1 Organics operates the only compost processing facility in the Front Range. All residents and businesses in the surrounding communities will be impacted by this change. 

That is yet to be determined. 

A1 is not contracted or otherwise obligated to take the materials we have been generating. As a community partner, A1 wants to work with communities along the Front Range to continue to accept the material. Still, they need our help to ensure that it is contamination-free. Currently, there are no other compost processors in the Front Range region. 

While we cannot predict their future standards, we know that the goal of producing quality compost, and the health of the planet, is best served by focusing on diverting food and yard and plant trimmings, while reducing the use of disposable single-use products. 

Compostable service ware (cutlery, tableware, cups, and straws) and other paper products were not as commonly used until recently. As their popularity has grown, they have caused a rush of “look-alikes” and misrepresented products in stores and online. These “look-alikes” make the task of identifying what is legitimately compostable impossible, even for experts, creating unmanageable amounts of contamination. Furthermore, many available paper products, like coffee cups and many “to go'' containers, are coated in plastic, which is not acceptable in your green curbside cart. 

 To simplify our compost program and ensure there is NO contamination, A1 Organics does not want any packaging, service ware, or paper of ANY kind.

Note: Paper that has no plastic coating, like paper towels, facial tissues (that aren't synthetic), coffee filters, etc. can be placed in your backyard compost pile. Make a valuable soil amendment right in your own backyard! Learn more about backyard composting. 

When Lafayette's compost trucks arrive at A1, the material inside the truck has been compacted from over 1000 households. Imagine pulling plastic stickers off of rotten banana peels, or pulling plastic bags off of decaying material. Even with hand sorting and running the material through machinery, small pieces of plastic, glass, or aluminum will remain in the finished compost product. Farmers and other compost buyers want and need clean, nutrient-dense food scraps and yard trimmings to grow our food. 

A1 Organics is one of many compost processors making these changes across the country. Programs in other early-adopter composting communities, such as Portland, Seattle, Vermont, and California, are also simplifying compost guidelines to include food scraps and yard and plant trimmings. 

Republic Services will place a notice on your contaminated cart and will only provide collection service once the unacceptable materials are removed. You may request that your compost cart be collected as garbage at your expense. Please call Republic Services at 303-286-2400. 

Also, beginning April 1, 2023, any compost trucks from Lafayette containing anything other than food scraps and yard and plant trimmings will be rejected by A1 Organics and sent to the landfill. This may have financial implications if there are egregious occurrences. Please put ONLY food scraps and yard and plant trimmings in your curbside compost cart. 

No. Beginning April 1, 2023, A1 has notified all Front Range communities that paper, compostable products (plates, forks, straws, etc.), and other contamination (pet waste, plastic, metal, etc.) will result in a rejection of the compost and the truck will instead be sent to our landfill. Please do NOT include any paper or other compostable products, even if they are labeled as certified compostable. 

Compostable bags often contain and conceal contamination (pet waste, plastic, metal, etc.). As A1 breaks open these larger compostable bags, they often find contamination. To reduce and avoid contamination, A1 requires food scraps and yard and plant trimmings to be placed directly in curbside compost carts unbagged. 

The only exception is 3-gallon approved compostable bags. 

Three-gallon approved compostable bags are allowed in your curbside compost cart.

Save money and go bag free! For your countertop kitchen compost container, go bag free and simply rinse out your container from time to time. Once your kitchen container is full, dump your food scraps into your curbside cart unbagged.

If your compost cart starts to smell, give it a quick rinse from the hose (no soap), swish it around in the cart, and pour the water directly onto your lawn or trees. If you have grass clippings or fallen leaves, you can line your curbside compost bin with a thin layer of grass or leaves to help absorb moisture. 

Three Cart Program customers receive one free compost cart exchange annually. Please call Republic Services at 303-286-2400 to schedule your free annual compost cart exchange.

During spring and fall curbside collection events sponsored by Republic Services, you may use brown kraft lawn bags to collect your yard and plant trimmings. This is the only time brown kraft bags are allowed in Lafayette’s curbside compost program. 

That's great! Curbside composting will take everything you can't or might not want to compost in your backyard, including weeds (so seeds don't go back into your yard), meat, dairy, and bones.

Absolutely! Two of the most impactful ways to reduce your daily waste are to:  

1.    Know before you throw. Become a sorting pro. Check Lafayette’s local recycling guide to remain up to date on what materials can be placed in which cart. 

2.  Use reusables whenever possible. Bring your reusable mug to a coffee shop, stash a set of silverware in your bag or car for easy access on the go, and bring your reusable to-go containers for leftovers. 

The materials you place in your compost cart are essential for building healthy soils and serve as a critical climate solution. Creating policies and infrastructure that support the success of curbside compost programs is a key priority in Lafayette, surrounding communities, and the state of Colorado.