Food Scrap Drop-off

About the Program

The food scrap drop-off program provides Troy residents with a pathway to keep food scraps and other compostable materials out of the trash. Materials will be brought to the Town of Bethlehem's composting facility where they will break down into finished compost.

Days & Location

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 AM to 1 PM

Troy Resource Management Facility (former Alamo)

3000 Main Street/Corner of East Industrial Parkway and Main Street

Proof of residence is required.

Benefits of composting:

  • Food scraps are used instead of thrown out.
  • Using compost makes our soil healthier!
  • Compost can increase the yield of fruits and vegetables in your garden.
  • Compost helps our soil retain more water.
  • Using compost can reduce our need for fertilizers and pesticides!
Alamo Food Scrap Drop Off

A note on compostable plastics:

While many businesses and companies are moving toward "compostable" plastics, they are not always accepted at composting facilities. Most facilities look for BPI certified products to make sure they are fully compostable within a reasonable amount of time.

Compostable Materials/Accepted

Food scraps, including:

  • fruits and vegetables (remove stickers)
    • include stems, skins, pits, seeds corncobs 
  • pasta, grains & bread, cookies, cake, candy
  • coffee grounds
  • eggs and eggshells
  • meat and fish, including bones
  • lobster shells
  • dairy: cheese, yogurt, etc.
  • nuts and coconut shells
  • pet food

Other, non-food materials:

  • brown, unbleached paper bags
  • non-plastic tea bags (remove staples)
  • wooden: toothpicks, popsicle sticks, chopsticks, utensils
  • house plants and flowers  (remove tags, planter, and rubber bands)
    • reuse your potting soil! 

In small, manageable pieces:

  • food soiled napkins and paper towels 
    • no chemical residue
  • cardboard egg cartons  and paper towel/toilet paper tubes
  • oily pizza boxes
    • you can recycle your clean ones!


Non-Compostable/Not Accepted

The following items are single stream recycling, and can be recycled curbside:

  • plastic: cups, containers, candy wrappers, chip bags
  • cartons
  • take-out containers
  • mail envelopes, shiny paper, magazines, cereal boxes 
  • plastic or waxed cardboard

Other not accepted items:

  • disinfectant wipes, or paper dirty with machine oil, house paint, cleaners, etc.
  • fireplace, wood, or BBQ ash
  • produce stickers
  • meat packaging
  • mussel, clam or oyster shells
  • styrofoam
  • “compostable” plastic utensils
  • bodily fluids
  • compostable diapers or sanitary products
  • pet waste, including cat litter
  • dead animals
  • grass clippings
  • laundry lint or dryer sheets
  • dental floss or q-tips

2023 Curbside Composting Program 

From September 29, 2021 to September 29, 2023, the City of Troy executed a curbside composting pilot program partially funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). To view the impacts of the program, visit our Recycling Grant Reports Archive.