Top Composting & Food Waste in Attleboro, Massachusetts Ranked

Attleboro is actively building a more sustainable community by diverting organic material from landfills, offering accessible options for both residents and businesses to manage food scraps. For restaurants and food service establishments, navigating the state's organic waste ban is a key operational consideration, while residents can participate through convenient drop-off or subscription curbside collection. This guide outlines the local infrastructure, rules, and benefits of organics recycling in the city, helping you turn food waste into a valuable resource for local soil health.

Understanding the available services for organic material management is the first step. The City of Attleboro partners with a local composter to provide foundational programs, and awareness of what can and cannot be composted is crucial for program success and reducing contamination.

Recycle Boston

516 E 2nd St, Boston, MA 02127

Recycle Boston is a waste management company based in Brookline, MA, specializing in food waste composting and recycling services for restaurants and other businesses. They focus on improving business recycling processes by offering solutions for various materials including compostable waste, recycled plastics, reused wood, and e-waste. Their approach emphasizes sustainability and resource conservation through innovative recycling technology and community initiatives. Recycle Boston supports local businesses by providing access to sustainability resources and promoting green certification as a business advantage. The company is known for offering same-day pickup services and efficient scheduling to accommodate customer needs.

4.8

117 Reviews

Bootstrap Compost

17 Dalrymple St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Bootstrap Compost provides food waste and composting services for restaurants in Newton, MA. The company focuses on collecting organic waste to support sustainable composting practices in the local community.

5.0

1 Reviews

E.O.M.S. Recycling

318 Manley St, West Bridgewater, MA 02379

E.O.M.S. Recycling provides tailored recycling and solid waste solutions for restaurants and other businesses in Brockton, MA. They specialize in food waste and composting services, offering customized waste management plans based on detailed waste stream audits. The company supports effective recycling and waste reduction for a variety of clients including schools and municipalities, helping to manage waste streams efficiently.

3.9

34 Reviews

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Understanding Massachusetts' Commercial Food Waste Ban

A major driver for commercial food scrap recycling in Attleboro is the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) commercial food material disposal ban. This regulation prohibits businesses and institutions that generate one-half ton or more of organic food waste per week from disposing of it in the trash or down the drain ¹. This mandate applies to many restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, hospitals, and large cafeterias. The goal is to divert this nutrient-rich material to beneficial uses like composting, anaerobic digestion for energy, or animal feed, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills ².

For covered businesses, compliance is not just an environmental choice but a legal requirement. The good news is that diverting organics can often lead to cost savings, as hauling heavy, wet food waste is typically more expensive than hauling lighter, recycled compostables. By separating food scraps, businesses can often reduce the size or frequency of their trash dumpster service ³.

Commercial Composting Services for Attleboro Businesses

Restaurants and other food-generating businesses in Attleboro subject to the ban must arrange for separate collection of their food scraps by a permitted commercial hauler. One prominent provider serving the area is Black Earth Compost, which offers commercial collection services ⁴. These services are tailored to the volume a business produces.

• Containers: Commercial clients typically use larger, wheeled bins, such as 45-gallon toters, which are provided by the hauler ³.
• Collection Frequency: Pickup schedules are flexible, ranging from weekly to bi-weekly, depending on the business's needs and the amount of organic waste generated.
• Cost Structure: Pricing for commercial food waste pickup varies based on volume, frequency, and hauler. Businesses are encouraged to contact providers like Black Earth Compost directly for a quote ³. It's important to evaluate the potential reduction in trash hauling costs when assessing the overall financial impact of adding a compost service.

What Can Your Attleboro Business Compost?

Knowing what materials are accepted is key to a smooth and compliant organics recycling program. Commercial haulers generally accept a wide range of material to create high-quality compost.

Accepted Materials Typically Include:

• All food scraps (fruits, vegetables, grains)
• Meat, bones, and seafood
• Dairy products
• Eggshells and nutshells
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Tea bags (staples removed)
• Soiled, non-recyclable paper like pizza boxes (without plastic liners), napkins, and paper towels ^{5 3}.
• Certified compostable products (bags, serviceware) - but check with your specific hauler first.

Strictly Prohibited Items:

• Plastic bags of any kind, even if labeled biodegradable ^{5 3}.
• Glass, metal, or plastic packaging.
• Liquids, fats, oils, and grease (these require separate management, such as grease trap servicing).
• "Tanglers" like hangers, wires, or textiles that can damage processing equipment ⁶.

Residential Food Scrap Recycling in Attleboro

Attleboro residents have two primary avenues for participating in food scrap recycling: a city-supported drop-off program and a subscription-based curbside collection service.

Attleboro's Organics Drop-Off Program

The city offers a resident-only drop-off location at the Attleboro Recycling Center (29 Pond Street North) ^{7 8}. Residents can bring their food scraps and deposit them into designated green composting bins on-site.

• How it Works: Participants collect food scraps at home and transport them to the center. Scraps should be dumped loose from their container into the large green organics bins. Plastic bags are not allowed in the bins, even if used for transport ⁷.
• Acceptable Items: The program accepts all food waste, including meat, bones, dairy, fruit, vegetables, and pizza boxes ⁷.
• Access: It's essential to check the City of Attleboro's official website for the most current operating hours and any program updates before visiting ⁸.

Subscription Curbside Collection Service

For added convenience, Attleboro residents can subscribe to a curbside food scrap collection service provided by Black Earth Compost ^{5 4}. This program operates independently from the city's trash collection.

• How it Works: Subscribers receive a starter kit that includes a 5-gallon collection bucket and compostable liner bags. You fill the bucket with acceptable food scraps over two weeks.
• Collection: On your designated pickup day, you place the sealed bucket at the curb alongside your trash and recycling. The collector empties the bucket and leaves it for you to reuse ⁴.
• What's Accepted: Similar to the drop-off program, the curbside service accepts all food scraps, meat, bones, dairy, and compostable paper products ⁵.

The Importance of Preventing Contamination

Whether you're a business manager or a resident, keeping contaminants out of the organics stream is critical. A single plastic bag or piece of glass can ruin a large batch of compost, rendering it unsellable or unusable. For businesses, consistent contamination can lead to service issues or increased costs from the hauler. For municipal programs, high contamination rates can jeopardize the entire service. Always refer to your specific hauler's or program's guidelines and when in doubt, leave it out.

Benefits Beyond Compliance

Participating in organics recycling extends benefits far beyond simply following a state mandate.

• Environmental Impact: Composting returns nutrients to the soil, improves soil structure, conserves water, and reduces methane emissions from landfills.
• Economic Development: It supports local green businesses like compost processors and haulers.
• Community Pride: It fosters a culture of sustainability and resource conservation within Attleboro, making it a more resilient and environmentally conscious city.

Frequently asked questions

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