Food waste, paper towels and used Kleenex can now be recycled for compost at no charge.

City Hall has a new way to deal with those items by allowing anyone to dump those items into purple specialty bins at 20 locations, with the contents later to be hauled away to be turned into garden dirt.

The Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments have used a $90,000 federal grant to fuel this compost initiative —a first for the city in hopes that greater use will reduce the flow of trash to landfills. Much of the current trash is made of food waste and paper.

Composting food waste has become increasingly popular across the country, and at least five private companies now offer the service to homeowners and apartment dwellers in the Richmond area, as well as to restaurants and other food-heavy businesses.

The compost-focused companies, some of which have been around for at least eight years, provide a bin and regular pickups for customers who pay a monthly fee, according to an internet search.

For those seeking to participate in the city’s operation, drop-off bins for food and paper products are located at: Boaz and Ruth, 3030 Meadowbridge Road; Chimborazo Playground Community Garden, 3000 E. Grace St.; and Powhatan Hill Community Garden, 801 Godden St.

Also, Studio Two Three, 3300 W. Clay St.; Uptown Commu- nity Garden, 2201 Parkwood Ave.; VCU Learning Garden, 1218 Parkwood Ave.; MCV Community Garden, 900 Turpin St.; Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St.; West End Branch Library, 5420 Pat- terson Ave.; Ginter Park Branch Library, 1200 Westbrook Ave.; Parker Field Annex Recycling Center, 1700 Robin Hood Road; Charles S. Gilpin Community Farm, 1420 St. Peter St.; and Big Market at Bryan Park, Bellevue and Lakeside Avenues.

Also, McDonough Community Garden, 3300 McDonough St.; Westover Hills School Garden, 1211 Jahnke Road; Broad Rock Community Garden, 404 E. Broad Rock Road; Broad Rock Branch Library, 4820 Old Warwick Road; Alice Fitz Community Garden, 1301 Perry St.; Living Water Community Center, 1000 Westover Hills Blvd.; and Stratford Hills Shopping Center, 6780 Forest Hill Ave.

Organizers say that any plastic bags used to carry the items should be put in a trash can.

Details: Richmondgrowsgardens.org/composting.