Green compost bin labeled 'Black Earth Compost' on a curb with a hand holding the lid.
Composting in
Melrose
Curbside Food Scrap Collection

Make a Difference From Your Home

Person lifting the lid of a metal kitchen compost bin filled with food scraps and lined with a green biodegradable bag.
1

Line & Fill Your Bin

If it grows, it goes in the bin. We accept all food scraps, much more than a backyard compost pile. Certified compostable liners keep your food scraps contained and easy to manage.

What's Compostable
Green compost bin labeled 'Black Earth Compost' on a sidewalk curb with a hand holding the lid.
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We'll Swing Buy & Empty It

Place your bin on the curb by 6 am. We take the material to our compost facilities that handle the dirty work.

Our Compost Facilities
Green bag of Black Earth Compost leaning against a wooden raised garden bed with strawberry plants growing over the edge.
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Get Compost Back

In the spring receive a voucher for a cubic foot bag of compost and discounts on bulk compost and soil blends. (excl. Ipswich, Manchester, and Watertown)

Shop Compost

Flexible Pickup Pricing for Residents

Enter address or town and select from the dropdown to view available plans.
Price and plans vary by location.

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Available plans in

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Choose a Plan & Starter Kit

Weekly
Food Scrap Pickup
$15.99/mo
Weekly
Food Scrap Pickup
$84.99/6 mo
Every Other Week
Food Scrap Pickup
$12.99/mo
Every Other Week
Food Scrap Pickup
$67.99/6 mo
Sign Up
Infographic showing compostable items categorized as All Food Scraps with images of orange slice, banana peels, chicken bone, broccoli, lobster claw, pizza slice, apple core, and cracked eggshell; Soiled Paper Products with crumpled paper, coffee filter, and used tea bag; Plant Trimmings with yellow-orange flowers; and Certified Compostable Tableware featuring a divided plate, wooden cutlery, a compostable cup, and four compost certification logos.

What Can Go In Your Green Compost Bin

If it grows, it goes!

We accept:

Raw, cooked and spoiled food scraps
More material than any other means of composting, allowing you to reduce your trash up to 40%.
Items not typically accepted in a backyard pile, like meat, bones, dairy, certified compostable packaging and more.
Search an Item
Download & Print the Compost Guide

From the Curb to the Garden & Beyond

By converting food scraps into compost, we contribute to a healthier future, for ourselves and our planet.

We Partner with Local Farms and Non-profits to Grow Food in New England

Composting Lowers Green House Gas Emissions

Compost Reduces Our Dependence on Artificial Fertilizers

Smiling boy wearing glasses and an orange shirt holding a handful of yellow and orange cherry tomatoes in a garden.
A young boy shoveling soil from a large pile into containers while adults with wheelbarrows work in a community garden near a church and houses.
Aerial view of a community garden with several raised beds filled with lush green plants and a person sitting on the grass in the upper right corner.

What People Are Saying

Great service. I love that we can compost a broader range of food with curbside composting than we can on our own, meaning less goes into the landfill. Highly recommend.
Alan Bunce
We love Black Earth service and model. It’s easy and convenient. AND our garbage weighs less and never smells because the food waste is separated. Keep up the great work!
Gary Ainsworth
We've now had this service for two years and we LOVE it. We barely have to think about it. The process couldn't be easier - get the bin and the bags, fill it up, put it out on collection day.
Kate Peterson

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the bin smell or attract pests?

Frequent pick ups and certified compostable bin liners make managing your food scraps easy. The locking lid on the bin keeps pest out and the small size allows you to keep the bin in a variety of locations.

What food scraps can go in the bin?

We accept all food scraps, soiled paper products, plant trimmings and certifed compostable tableware. This can make up to 40% of your waste. For a detailed list download our compost guide and check out our whats compostable page for more information.

What if I don't have a garden?

No worries. You can choose to donate your free bag of compost to Backyard Growers.

How do I get compostable liners?

You can order compostable liners through your online account and they will be delivered on your next service day.

I live in an apartment. Can I still sign up?

Yes. There needs to be a curbside location you can leave your bin for the driver to access. We offer an apartment sized bin for smaller storage areas.

More FAQs

Earn Free Pickups

By executing one or more of a variety of tasks you could earn free compost pickups for a year and more.

Learn More

Group Purchasing

Get a group of 10 or more to sign up and receive up to 40% off the first invoice. Contact us to learn more.

Contact Us
Beyond Food Scrap Collection

More Services For a Sustainable Lifestyle

Green compost bin labeled 'Black Earth Compost' next to a white plastic bag and a large brown paper yard waste bag with 'Black Earth' sticker.

Yard Waste Recycling

Add on to your regular compost pick up with a Black Earth Compost sticker, available in your account.
Woman placing a bag of recyclable materials on a front porch with sunlight filtering through trees in the background.

Collection of Hard to Recycle Materials

Meet CHaRM! Our new program to recycle your electronics, plastic film, textiles, and donations from your doorstep.
Wooden raised garden bed filled with healthy green vegetable plants and dark soil in a backyard.

Grow Food with a
Raised Bed

All you need is a sunny location. Our deep beds and rich soil provide the ideal growing medium.

Let's Get Started

It takes less than two minutes to sign up and join the thousands of households building a greener New England.

Sign Up
Woman in a red shirt and white skirt happily holding a green recycling bin next to a wooden recycling truck on a sunny residential street.
Melrose
MA