Statewide law
District of Columbia organic waste law
Washington, DC requires its biggest food waste producers to separate it: grocers of 10k+ sq ft, chains of 3+ grocers, colleges with 500+ resident students, arenas with 15k+ seats, and hospitals and nursing homes with 300+ beds. Restaurants and apartment buildings are not covered, though the Mayor can expand the rule.
At a glance Statewide law
Read the official rules (opens in a new tab)
- The law
- D.C. Code § 8-1031.03a (Zero Waste Omnibus Amendment Act of 2020)
- Who’s covered
- Grocers 10k+ sq ft, colleges 500+ resident students, chains of 3+ grocers, arenas 15k+ seats, hospitals/nursing homes 300+ beds
- Thresholds and key dates
- Since Jan 1, 2023 / Jan 1, 2024
- Local rules
- (DC is its own jurisdiction)
01 / City and county rules
Local rules
Other places in District of Columbia
- Washington, DCMandatory – in effectBack-of-house food waste separation, bins, training, signage
✦ Keep an eye on
What’s changing
Restaurants and multifamily NOT covered. Mayor can expand by rule
02 / Our job
What Melly’s handles
- Which rules apply to each of your District of Columbia locations
- File the paperwork for you
- Set up pickup or a compliant hauler
- Keep your records current so you are ready if an inspector asks
✦ Where this comes from
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Laws change. If something here looks out of date, tell us.
These are plain-English summaries for general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source.
✦ Get a compliance plan
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✦ Let Melly’s handle it
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Tell us where you operate. We tell you what applies, then we file and keep you compliant.