Concepts for the Sabbatical Year: Shemitah Bin

Any food that has the sanctity of the seventh year (Shemitah) or its remains should not be thrown into a regular garbage bin, as discarding them in the trash makes them repulsive and unusable for consumption, and it is forbidden to waste foods that are sacred with the sanctity of Shemitah.

What should we do with food leftovers?Items with Shemitah sanctity should be placed in a plastic bag with its opening tied before disposing of them. Often even this is insufficient, as the garbage compactor crushes the waste, and under pressure the plastic bag tears. Therefore, bags containing food remnants should be placed in a special bin (Shemitah bin) where they will remain until the food remnants spoil, that is, until they rot. Only after the food has rotted or spoiled can the plastic bag with the waste inside be thrown into a regular bin.

What goes in a Shemitah bin? All food leftovers that have Shemitah sanctity (meaning fruits and vegetables from Otzar Beit Din, or for some Ashkenazi Jews who follow the opinion of the Chazon Ish to observe Shemitah sanctity in fruits and vegetables even from non-Jewish produce) whether they are raw or cooked. For example: salad remains, mashed potatoes, apple cores and tomato remnants, and outer lettuce leaves. Pieces of pickled cucumber, onion that was cooked in a meat pot or vegetable stew - should be placed in a Shemitah bin. For vegetable soup broth, some authorities hold that after a day or two the flavor deteriorates, and afterward it is permitted to discard it in a regular bin.

If someone finishes their portion of soup or salad and only small remnants are stuck to the sides of the plate (since we don't lick plates clean), those remnants can be rinsed in the sink normally. However, if there remains an amount that would typically be eaten or given to animals, one should wrap the leftovers and dispose of them in a Shemitah bin.