Lakewood Food Scrap Drop-Off Program

How the program works

1. Residents subscribe through Compost Colorado (CoCo) for $5/month.
2. Receive a personal access code to unlock any CoCo drop-off cart.
3. Drop off food scraps anytime, at any CoCo location—not just Lakewood’s.
4. CoCo services and cleans the carts regularly.
5. Food scraps are processed into compost at CoCo’s local facility here in Denver. 
6. In spring, subscribers receive some compost back for their yards and gardens, completing the compost loop! 

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Resources to help you get started

• Watch the Virtual Workshop: The Food Scrap Drop-Off program training workshops are complete for the season, but you can watch the full recording below at your convenience.
• Free Kitchen Compost Caddies: Residents who sign up to compost can pick up a free kitchen compost caddy at the Public Works Reception Booth (Permit Center Lobby) in the Civic Center North Building, 470 S. Allison Parkway. Pick-up is available Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (excluding lunch, 12–1 p.m.), while supplies last. 

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On-Demand Compost Workshop

(45 min training, at your preferred pace)

This recorded session explains how Lakewood’s Food Scrap Drop-Off Program works, where your food scraps go and what happens to them at Compost Colorado’s local processing facility, and which materials are accepted (and what to leave out) to keep the program running smoothly.

Watch anytime and learn how to turn your home food scraps into a valuable community resource!

Drop-Off Locations

Lakewood launched five new City-owned drop sites (one in each Ward) in January 2026. CoCo already operates four additional drop sites in Lakewood—bringing the total to nine. 

New City Sites Now Open

• Ward 1: Quail Street Recycling Center
• Ward 2: Charles Whitlock Recreation Center
• Ward 3: Lakewood Link Recreation Center 
• Ward 4: Ute Trail Park
• Ward 5: Carmody Recreation Center 

Locations

(Locations may change over time; always check the map.)

What you can compost

Composting rules differ across the Front Range because each facility processes materials differently. Haulers must follow the rules of the facility they use—so accepted items can vary from one program to another. 

The good news: CoCo operates its own in-vessel facility, which means they can accept more items than most haulers, including BPI-certified compostable products. 

Accepted Materials

Program Benefits

Subscribers receive: 

• Access to secure drop sites across the region
• Free kitchen compost caddy
• A spring compost dividend (free finished compost)
• Access to workshops and compost-facility tours
• Cleaner trash and fewer odors at home
• A simple way to help fight climate change  

Request Additional Support

If cost or mobility makes it hard for you to use the drop-off sites, please use these forms to request additional support.

2026 City of Lakewood Income-Qualified Compost Certification Form

2026 City of Lakewood Mobility-Qualified Compost Certification Form