What Can Go In My Bin?
We accept raw, cooked, and spoiled food scraps, soiled paper products, and certified compostable serviceware. This can account for up to 40% of your trash and is more than can be composted in a backyard pile.
Certified Compostable Liners & Products
What does "Certified Compostable" mean?
We accept compostable liners, plates, utensils, cups, etc. that have the proper third-party compostable certification. This certification ensures the material will break down in an industrial compost facility in a set amount of time into acceptable non-toxic substrates.
The words biodegradable, compostable or ASTM-6400 alone are not enough for us to accept a product. It needs to have one of the following third-party certifications.
◦ Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
◦ OK Compost! / TUV Austria Home or Industrial / Seedling (TUV)
◦ Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA)
How to Buy Certified Compostable Liners
Liners can be ordered through the Shop in your online account. Our liners are guaranteed certified compostable and will be conveniently delivered during your next scheduled pickup when placed by 3 pm the day before. We offer various sizes.
Doubled-up brown paper bags can also be used as a liner when the temperature is consistently above freezing.
Purchasing Elsewhere
When purchasing liners elsewhere, they must be certified compostable by BPI, TUV, or CMA and have the certification logo printed directly on each bag. Look for trusted brands such as BioBag, EcoSafe, Repurpose, & UNNI. They can often be found at Crosby’s, Target, Whole Foods, and Amazon.
Be aware some brands sold on Amazon fraudulently include the certification logo in the description or on the packaging so stick with our trusted brands or check for the certification logo on the bag when you receive your order.
Compostable liners come in a variety of sizes but note that the ones we sell are the proper dimensions for our bins.
How to Buy Certified Compostable Serviceware
Compostable cups, plates, and utensils must be certified compostable. If you are out shopping for compostable products only purchase certified compostable products that have a BPI, TUV/OK Compost, or CMA certification logo on the packaging. They can be found at some grocery stores and online.
Please Be Aware of These Contaminants
PRODUCE STICKERS are not compostable and need to be removed from all fruits and vegetables. Take our Sticker for a Sticker Challenge. Collect your produce stickers for a chance at a black earth sticker.
GROCERY STORE PRODUCE BAGS may look compostable but most are NOT. It will be clear when one is acceptable because a BPI, TUV, or CMA certification logo will be printed directly on the bag.
WAXED CARDBOARD, MILK CARTONS, PAPER CUPS or similar items not certified compostable are not accepted.
PAPER is best recycled. We are not a paper recycling outlet. We don't accept cardboard, pizza boxes, junk mail,
magazines, office paper, etc. Food-soiled napkins or paper
products are ok though.
GRASS CLIPPINGS can contain harmful chemicals. Unless you are a subscriber to one of our
Organic Lawn Care Partners, which can be found on your customer dashboard, we will not take your grass clippings.
We take contamination seriously. Bins will not be picked up if contamination is a problem. We can work together to adjust your composting system to eliminate contamination.
Produce Sticker Activity
Help us keep produce stickers out of the compost with this fun activity. Download all three free designs and fill with stickers.
