top of page
City of Tucson Environmental Services logo
Young women gardening
Women gardening

FoodCycle

FoodCycle

The City of Tucson's Environmental Services has partnered with Tucson’s local gardens and parks to bring you the FoodCycle at Home program! You’ll get a kitchen pail for collecting your food scraps, and when it’s full, just drop it off at a convenient FoodCycle site near you.

Attend the next composting training in your area!

The City of Tucson and Compost Cats partner to regularly host how-to events on composting and joining the FoodCycle program in Tucson. Check out our event list to register for the next event!

FoodCycle Events

  • Mon, Nov 03
    Tucson Village Farm
    Nov 03, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
    Tucson Village Farm, 2201 E. Roger Road
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Nov 22
    Tucson
    Nov 22, 2025, 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
    Tucson, 1665 S La Cholla Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85713, USA
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Oct 18
    Tucson Village Farm
    Oct 18, 2025, 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
    Tucson Village Farm, 2201 E. Roger Road
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Oct 18
    Ward 2 Council Office
    Oct 18, 2025, 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
    Ward 2 Council Office, 7820 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85710, USA
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Tue, Oct 14
    Ward 6 Council Office
    Oct 14, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
    Ward 6 Council Office, 3202 E 1st St, Tucson, AZ 85716, USA
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Oct 04
    Reid Park Zoo
    Oct 04, 2025, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
    Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E Zoo Ct
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Oct 04
    Reid Park Zoo
    Oct 04, 2025, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
    Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E Zoo Ct
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Mon, Sep 15
    Udall Center
    Sep 15, 2025, 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
    Udall Center, 7200 E Tanque Verde Rd
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Sep 06
    UA Environmental and Natural Resources 2
    Sep 06, 2025, 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
    UA Environmental and Natural Resources 2, 1064 E Lowell St. Room S107
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Aug 16
    Donna Liggins Recreation Center
    Aug 16, 2025, 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
    Donna Liggins Recreation Center, 2160 N 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705, USA
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Mon, Aug 04
    El Pueblo Senior Center
    Aug 04, 2025, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM
    El Pueblo Senior Center, 101 W Irvington Rd building 13, Tucson, AZ 85714, USA
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share
  • Sat, Jul 26
    UA Environmental and Natural Resources 2
    Jul 26, 2025, 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
    UA Environmental and Natural Resources 2, 1064 E Lowell St Room S107, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
    Participate in the Foodcycle at Home Program by attending training and dropping food scraps at a Foodcycle site near you. Food scraps will be processed into compost and made available to participants.
    Share

Did you Know?

Composting...

​

·      Prevents soil erosion

·      Conserves water

·      Supplies the soil with nutrients

·      Creates green jobs

·      Decreases landfill methane emissions

·      Reduces the need for fertilizers & pesticides

Tucson FoodCycle composting bin
Vegetable Garden

28%

of landfill waste is compostable

25%

of residential waste is food scraps

50%

of landfill greenhouse gases can be reduced by composting

Accepted Items

Fruit

Fruit

Fruit

Citrus, melon rinds, cores, and seeds are acceptable

vegetables

Vegetables

Vegetables

Onions and cooked veggies are acceptable

Various dairy products

Dairy Products

Dairy Products

Viscous and solid dairy products are acceptable, but liquids like milk are not

peach

Pitted Fruits

Pitted Fruits

Pits are acceptable: like mangoes, avocados, plums, and peaches

egg shells

Eggshells

coffee grounds

Coffee Grounds

nuts and shells

Nuts & Shells

Pasta

Grains & Pasta

Bread

Bread

Cake

Baked Goods

Non-accepted Items

produce stickers

Produce Stickers

vegetable-oil

Grease & Oils

butter

Butter & Margarine

plastics

Plastics

Plastic Utensils

Compostable Containers & Utensils

liquids

Liquids

red meat

Meat

tea bag

Tea Bags

Yard and House Plant Waste

House Plants/Yard Waste

Paper Towel Napkin copy.webp

Napkins & Paper Towels

paper plate

Paper Plates

plant vegatation

Plant Vegetation

meat bones

Meat Bones

shellfish

Shellfish

bleaxched coffee filters

Bleached (White)
Coffee Filters

compostable plastic bag

Compostable Plastic Bags

shredded paper

Shredded Paper

steel wool

Metals

Garden Soil

Here’s How to Get Involved

The Environmental Services Department has teamed up with Community Gardens of Tucson and local parks to launch the FoodCycle at Home program! After completing a brief training session, you'll receive a kitchen pail for collecting food scraps. Once it's full, simply drop it off at a nearby FoodCycle location.

​

If you have questions about the program or acceptable/unacceptable items, please contact us at foodcycle@tucsonaz.gov.

STEP 1

Sign up for a 30-minute information session to learn the basics.

STEP 2

Complete the training and receive a free home kitchen compost pail to collect food scraps.

STEP 3

Receive the code to access the container lock at drop off sites.

STEP 4

Drop off food scraps in container at a City collection site.

Find your Nearest Drop-off Location

  • Blue Moon Garden - 1501 N. Oracle Road

  • El Rio Center - 1390 W Speedway Boulevard

  • Freedom Park - 5000 E 29th Street

  • Highland Vista Garden - 5300 E. 7th Street

  • Iron Horse Garden - 560 E 10th Street

  • New Spirit Garden - 8701 E. Old Spanish Trail

  • Pio Decimo Garden - 835 S. 7th Avenue

  • Purple Heart Dog Park - 9820 Rees Loop

  • Randolph Way - 850 S. Randolph Way

  • Tucson Clean and Beautiful - 1360 E. Irvington Road

  • Tucson Village Farm - 2201 E. Roger Road 

  • Udall Park - 7290 E. Tanque Verde Road

  • University of Arizona Garden -1400 E. Mabel Street

  • Ward 1 - 940 W Alameda Street

  • Ward 4 - 8155 E. Poinciana Drive

bottom of page