The Town of Lexington Curbside Compost Program
The Town of Lexington is happy to offer a curbside compost program to our residents. Through this program up to 4,000 residents can sign up for curbside pickup of food waste and other compostable items at no cost. With compostable waste making up 35% of Lexington’s waste stream, this program is a critical step in reducing waste in our community.
There are still open spots in the program. New Black Earth composters will receive a starter kit that includes a Lexington sealed curbside bin, a countertop container, liners for the curbside bin, and liners for a countertop container. These starter kits can be picked up at the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building (201 Bedford Street).
HOW TO CURBSIDE COMPOST
1. Line Your BiN OR COUNTERTOP CONTAINER
2. Sort your Food Scraps
3. Put The bin on the curb
5. Smile
6. Manage Service with Your Online Account
- Check the status of your pickup
- Order compostable bags and compost products
- Report a missed pickup
- Change your service address
- View your environmental impact
- Cancel service
7. Get FINISHED COMPOST
SIGN UP HERE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long is the program? There is no set end date to the program at this time. The Town
hopes to continue to offer and expand the program in the coming years.
Who can sign up? Any Lexington household that can be served by Black Earth Compost is eligible to sign up for the program. We can work with households living in condominiums or multifamily housing. It will need to be in a location our drivers can spot and drive to easily. The program is first-come, first-serve. The Town will maintain a wait list if the program reaches capacity.
What are the other ways to compost in Lexington? If you prefer an alternative to curbside collection, you can take advantage of the LexSORT drop off locations or start composting at home. Learn more.
Will I get a bin when I sign up? All new Black Earth customers will receive a free starter kit, which includes a 13-gallon curbside bin, a countertop container, liners for the curbside bin, and liners for a countertop container. Starter kits can be picked up from the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building (201 Bedford Street).
Do I need bin liners? Bin liners are strongly recommended as they will help keep your bin clean. After the first roll of liners is provided in the starter kit, participants are responsible for securing their own liners. All liners must be certified compostable by Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA), or TUV. Liners can be purchased through Black Earth in the shop section of your online account, but you are not required to purchase liners through Black Earth. Doubled-up brown paper bags can also be used as a liner when the temperature is above freezing.
Why Participate in Curbside Food Scrap Collection? 35% of household waste is compostable. In your curbside bucket, you are able to include more than you can in a backyard system, including meat, dairy, bones, and certified compostable serviceware because the material is taken to one of our industrial compost facilities. By diverting these scraps from the landfill, where they would generate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, or be incinerated, they are instead turned into nutrient-rich compost that is used to improve soil and plant health on local farms and backyard gardens while also drawing down carbon from the atmosphere.