The program's purpose is to reduce the amount of waste shipped to landfills by recycling biodegradable waste into compost. The programs collect kitchen and related organic waste (typically including soiled paper products, pet waste, sawdust, and similar items) using a waist-high green curbside container, for which the programs are named. The municipality picks up the waste on a regular basis along with other garbage and recycling collections, and composts it at an industrial composting facility. While it is true that home composting can also serve this purpose, the green bin programs are viewed as being more convenient and more inclusive of source materials.