Trucks unload food scraps at the SMaRT Station®. The “bag-breaking” machine breaks apart and discards plastic or compostable bags. After going through a few more steps, we convert food scraps to a liquid mash. This mash is nutrient-rich and has many uses, such as:

• Fertilizer that enriches soil and compost
• Energy source for anaerobic digesters, including Sunnyvale’s Water Pollution Control Plant
• FDA-approved animal feed ingredient for pigs, poultry or fish

Uses for food mash vary depending on market demand and available processing techniques. We can make choices based on environmental impact, technology and cost.

If we combined our food scraps with yard trimmings, we'd have 20,000 tons of material. There are no facilities available to take that quantity. Local food scraps composting capacity is very limited. This is whether it's mixed with yard trimmings or not.

Keeping food scraps separate also gives us more options for how we use it.

Oriental fruit flies have been found in Santa Clara County. The fruit fly is an invasive pest that threatens California's environment and agriculture. Sunnyvale and other cities are under quarantine. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the county's Division of Agriculture issued the quarantine Sept. 6. The quarantine is in effect through June 1, 2024. The CDFA will be treating affected areas during the quarantine.

To help prevent the spread of oriental fruit flies:

• Do not share fruits and vegetables grown on your property.
• Follow our FoodCycle instructions to bag and dispose of food scraps. This includes any uneaten homegrown fruits and vegetables. Our FoodCycling process reduces the risk of spreading the flies.

You've asked if we could collect food scraps in a separate container instead of split carts. If we did, the extra trucks and carts would increase collection costs. They would add wear and tear to the streets. You would also have to store four carts instead of three.

The City and Specialty rolled out split carts in 2017. Staff used waste characterization studies to help determine the cart's design. Studies found that 30% of household garbage is food scraps, so the cart was designed with a 30/70 split. The City was also preparing for SB 1383, a state law that requires sorting organics (food scraps and yard trimmings) from garbage. The final split cart design let both food and garbage compartments empty into correct sides of a split truck.

Since then, we've heard from you that the food side of the split cart is too large. Specialty and the City are researching other designs that provide greater garbage capacity. City staff plan to replace existing carts with a new design in 2027. Since carts must be exchanged every 10 years, 2027 is a cost-effective time to replace the old cart design.

SB 1383 requires businesses, schools and residents to separate and recycle their organics. We have been collecting food scraps from businesses for over a decade. The program collects over 3,000 tons per year. This number increases as more businesses join in.

All Sunnyvale schools* recycle food scraps in their kitchens and cafeterias. Many schools have active student “Green Teams” that help keep food scraps contaminant-free.

If you live in an apartment or condo, you may pick up a countertop pail for collecting food scraps. Go to the SMaRT Station or the Utilities counter at City Hall. Bring proof of residency to receive a pail.

*Some private schools are in process.

FoodCycle is a great option for food items that shouldn't go in your backyard compost. This includes meat, bones and dairy scraps. You can FoodCycle spoiled food, uneaten leftovers or freezer-burned food. FoodCycle the food from a refrigerator clean-out.

A small amount of food down your garbage disposal is unavoidable. Large amounts send all those nutrients to water treatment plants. These end up in local waterways, causing harmful algae blooms. FoodCycling makes better use of the nutrients.

Plus, putting any oily or greasy food in garbage disposals can lead to costly pipe blockages. Read about clog prevention.

When we tested this system during the pilot program, it did not create issues with rodents. We have not experienced significant reported rodent issues to date. If you're concerned about rodents, keep your lids down and put food in sealed clear plastic bags.

Single-family residents pay a bundled rate. We base your rates on the size of the cart you select. Your bundled rate includes recycling, yard trimmings and food scraps. Multi-family properties pay a separate charge for food scraps carts or bins (dumpsters).

View the current fiscal year Utility Rates.

We pay our vendor to process collected food scraps. Keeping the food scraps out of the landfill saves money on our landfill disposal costs. It also reduces SMaRT Station operating costs. Our resulting net savings help us moderate future changes to garbage rates.