From Food Scraps to Healthy Soil: Dane County Celebrates 1 Million Pounds Composted
One million pounds. That's how much food waste our community has helped keep out of the landfill in just over a year.
When Dane County launched its residential Food Scrap Program in June 2025, more than 1,000 residents signed up to participate. We thought that was a pretty incredible start.
Fast-forward to November 2026, and that number has grown to more than 4,200 registered residents. Even better? Through the combined efforts of participating households, businesses, Dane County, and Purple Cow Organics, the program has officially surpassed 1 million pounds of food scraps diverted from the landfill.
That's a milestone worth celebrating, and we couldn't be more excited to be part of it.
Small Actions, Big Environmental Impact
Food waste is a larger problem than many people realize. According to UW–Madison Extension, food scraps make up approximately 20% of the material entering the Dane County landfill.
When food scraps end up buried in a landfill, they break down under oxygen-limited conditions, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Composting gives those materials a better destination.
Through our partnership with the Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables, food scraps that would otherwise be thrown away are collected and brought to Purple Cow Organics for composting.
Instead of taking up valuable landfill space, those materials are transformed into nutrient-rich compost that can help support healthy soils throughout our community.
Every pound diverted is a step toward reducing landfill waste and putting valuable organic materials back to work.
More Than 4,200 Residents Are Making a Difference
One of the most exciting parts of this program has been watching the community embrace it.
What started with roughly 1,000 registered residents has grown to more than 4,200 in just over a year.
But participation is only part of the success story.
We're especially proud of how well residents have been separating their food scraps.
Contamination is one of the biggest challenges in community composting programs. When trash, plastic, or other unacceptable materials end up mixed with food scraps, it creates additional work and can make materials unsuitable for composting.
Thanks to the care residents have taken, Purple Cow Organics has not had to reject a single load of collected food scraps.
That's something worth recognizing!
It shows that when communities have the right resources and clear instructions, people can make composting a successful part of their everyday routines.
To everyone who has participated, thank you. You're making our job easier and helping make this program more successful.
Closing the Loop: Turning Food Scraps Back Into a Resource
At Purple Cow Organics, we talk a lot about closing the loop.
So, what does that actually mean?
It means taking organic materials that might otherwise be considered waste and giving them another purpose.
Here's how the process works:
1. The community collects food scraps.
Residents bring accepted household food scraps to Dane County's free Scrap Stop locations, while participating businesses contribute through the commercial collection program.
2. Purple Cow Organics transforms those scraps into compost.
Collected materials are delivered to our composting facility, where they're processed and managed through the composting process.
3. Finished compost goes back to the community.
Rather than ending their journey in a landfill, those materials become a valuable soil amendment that can be used in landscaping and other beneficial local applications.
Compost helps add organic matter to soil, support soil biology, improve soil structure, and promote healthier growing conditions.
It's a simple idea with a meaningful impact: What comes from the earth can go back to supporting it.
The compost produced through this specific Dane County program is used for beneficial local applications and is separate from Purple Cow Organics' bagged retail products.
A Partnership Rooted in Community
This milestone wouldn't be possible without the Dane County Department of Waste & Renewables, participating municipalities and businesses, and the thousands of residents who have made composting part of their routines.
Our role at Purple Cow Organics is to provide the composting expertise and processing needed to turn collected food scraps into a resource that benefits local soils.
It's a partnership built around a shared goal: keeping valuable organic materials out of the landfill and finding better ways to use them.
With Dane County continuing to expand access to Scrap Stop locations, we're excited to see how much more our community can accomplish.
Help Us Reach the Next Million Pounds
One million pounds is an incredible milestone, but we're just getting started.
Dane County residents can participate by registering for the free Food Scrap Program and bringing accepted materials to a local Scrap Stop.
Accepted residential materials include:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Coffee grounds and loose-leaf tea
- Eggshells
- Beans and nuts
Be sure to review Dane County's current guidelines before dropping anything off.
Want to learn more about the partnership and what happens to your food scraps after collection?
Explore Our Dane County Food Waste Program
To the more than 4,200 residents, participating businesses, community partners, and Dane County staff who helped make this happen: thank you.
Here's to the next million pounds, healthier soil, and continuing to close the loop, together.
Healthy soil. Thriving communities. A better future, rooted in compost.
