Photo Credit: Duncan Slade Photography

To express our long-lasting commitment to making Downtown Frederick an even better place, we are partnered with Key City Compost, a commercial composting and food waste collection service, and we’re very proud to share that we’re the first restaurant in Downtown Frederick to do so! All of our ice cream bowls, cups, and cutlery are made of compostable materials so that we’re able to keep them out of the landfill and instead, replenish the soil and boost the growth of our local greenery.

Key City Compost launched its services in 2017 and is Frederick’s first residential and commercial composting service. According to LocalDMV.com, The City of Frederick is the landfill’s biggest customer, with more than 1,700 tons of trash on a monthly basis. Key City Compost’s mission is to reduce the total atmospheric carbon, increase soil carbon, create jobs, and strengthen our local food system with high quality soil products through the diversion of food waste from landfills.

Whether it’s providing the best and largest selection of retro craft soda pop, serving ice cream flavors from our awe-inspiring local creameries, or creating award-winning hot dogs and sloppy joes, we’re always trying to minimize our impact on the environment at the Pop Shop!

Know the Difference!

Learn what we consider to be compost, recyclable, and trash so you too can help us keep Downtown Frederick environmentally-friendly:

Pop Shop Compost:

• Large and small milkshake cups, lids, straws, straw wrappers
• Wood tasting spoons
• Float cups, lids straws, straw wrappers
• Hot cups with lids and stir sticks
• Hot dog papers
• Ice cream cups
• Spoons, forks, knives
• Napkins and paper towels
• Food waste (banana peels, excess ice cream or milkshake, hot dogs, buns, coffee grounds, excess skittles)
• Water cups

Pop Shop Recyclables:

• Glass bottles and lids
• Bottle caps
• Aluminum cans
• Paper or cardboard (with no food contact)
• Plastic bags (separate recycling – please ask a team member)
• Plastic drink bottles
• Juice boxes
• Plastic ice cream containers

Pop Shop Trash Items:

• All outside beverage containers (for excess liquid, please let a team member know to dump down the drain)
• Candy, chips, whoopee pies, miscellaneous food wrappers
• Hot dog/sloppy joe trays
• Empty honey sticks
• Straws from juice boxes
• Paper with any shine or plastic coating or food residue
• Plastic films
• Diapers
• Feminine products