Top Composting & Food Waste in Revere, Massachusetts Ranked

For restaurants in Revere, managing organic waste isn't just an environmental consideration-it's a state-mandated operational requirement. Massachusetts has been a national leader in diverting food scraps from landfills through its Commercial Organics Waste Ban, which sets specific thresholds for businesses. While Revere residents enjoy a convenient curbside composting program, food service establishments operate under a different set of rules and partner with private haulers to handle their food waste recycling. Navigating these regulations and setting up an efficient organics diversion system can lead to significant waste hauling cost savings, reduce your environmental footprint, and contribute to a more sustainable local economy by turning scraps into valuable compost.

Understanding the core regulation is the first step. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Commercial Organics Waste Ban requires any business or institution that generates one-half ton (approximately 1,000 pounds) or more of food material per week to divert it from disposal in landfills and incinerators¹. This ban, which expanded to cover these smaller generators in November 2022, directly impacts many restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, and other food service operations in Revere. The goal is to recycle this nutrient-rich material through methods like composting, anaerobic digestion, or animal feed operations.

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 the Commercial Organics Waste Ban

The state's waste ban is a key driver for commercial food scrap recycling. If your restaurant's weekly food waste meets or exceeds the half-ton threshold, you are legally obligated to separate it from your regular trash stream¹. It's important to conduct a waste audit or use available estimation tools to determine your establishment's output. Even if you generate slightly less than the threshold, proactively implementing a food waste diversion program can streamline operations and potentially reduce costs by lowering the volume and frequency of your trash pickups. The regulation is designed to keep organic material out of landfills where it decomposes anaerobically, releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Acceptable vs. Unacceptable Materials

Knowing what can and cannot go into your organics collection stream is crucial for a successful program and to avoid contamination fees from your hauler. A clean stream ensures the final compost product is high quality.

Acceptable materials for commercial composting typically include:

• All food scraps: fruits, vegetables, meat, bones, seafood, and dairy products.
• Coffee grounds along with paper filters.
• Tea bags (staples removed).
• Food-soiled paper products like napkins, paper towels, uncoated paper plates, and pizza boxes (free of wax or plastic lining).
• Certified compostable serviceware and bags that meet standards like BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute).
• Other organic items like cut flowers, houseplants, and corks^{2 3}.

Common contaminants to strictly avoid include:

• Plastic bags (unless they are certified compostable), wrappers, and film.
• Plastic utensils, straws, and packaging.
• Glass, metal, or aluminum.
• Liquids, oils, and grease (these require separate handling, often through grease trap services).
• "Biodegradable" or "eco-friendly" plastics that are not specifically certified as compostable².

Collection Options & Service Setup for Restaurants

Unlike Revere's residential program, commercial entities must arrange private hauling services. The right setup depends on your kitchen's space, volume of waste, and frequency of service needed.

• Smaller Bins or Carts: Ideal for kitchen prep areas or smaller-volume establishments. Staff can collect scraps in under-counter pails lined with compostable bags, which are then transferred to a larger cart for pickup. These are often serviced multiple times per week.
• Larger Dumpsters or Roll-Off Carts: Suitable for high-volume restaurants, hotels, or institutional kitchens. A dedicated organics dumpster, similar in size to a trash dumpster, is placed in your service area.
• Service Frequency: Your pickup schedule will be arranged with your hauler and is often aligned with your existing trash pickup or may be more frequent due to the perishable nature of the material. Some haulers offer combined service for trash, recycling, and organics.

To get started, you should contact local waste management companies that offer commercial organics collection, such as Republic Services, Waste Management, or regional haulers. A valuable resource is RecyclingWorks Massachusetts, which provides a free assistance program to help businesses like restaurants recycle more and waste less, including tools to estimate food waste and find permitted haulers and processors^{1 2}.

The Residential Program: Garbage to Garden

It's helpful to understand the local landscape, including the program available to your customers and employees. The City of Revere has partnered with Garbage to Garden to offer weekly curbside food scrap collection for residents. This program, which launched in the fall of 2025, provides residents with a 12-gallon locking cart or a 5-gallon bucket, along with compostable liners^{4 5}. Collection occurs weekly on their regular trash day. For residents, the program operates at a reduced monthly rate (approximately $11.95/month at launch), with free bins offered to the first 1,000 sign-ups^{5 6}. The list of acceptable materials for residents is broadly similar to the commercial guidelines, including food scraps, food-soiled paper, meat, bones, and dairy⁴.

Cost Considerations & Potential Savings

For restaurants, the cost of organics hauling is variable and depends on your chosen hauler, the volume of material, and the frequency of service. It's important to view this not just as an added expense, but as a potential reallocation of your overall waste management budget. By diverting heavy, wet food waste from your trash stream, you can often:

• Reduce the size of your trash dumpster.
• Decrease the frequency of trash pickups.
• Lower your overall trash hauling costs.

The savings from reduced trash service can partially or, in some cases, fully offset the cost of the new organics collection service. RecyclingWorks Massachusetts offers guidance and tools to help businesses analyze these potential savings².

Best Practices for Restaurant Success

Implementing a smooth-running food waste recycling program requires team buy-in and clear processes.

1. Conduct a Waste Audit: Understand your starting point. How much food waste do you generate and from which areas (prep, plate waste, spoilage)?
2. Choose the Right Containers: Place clearly labeled, lined collection pails in strategic locations: prep stations, dishwashing areas, and wait stations.
3. Train Your Staff Thoroughly: Educate every team member on what is compostable and what is not. Use clear signage with pictures to minimize contamination.
4. Partner with Your Hauler: Communicate with your service provider about your needs and any issues with pickup or contamination.
5. Promote Your Efforts: Let your customers know you compost. It demonstrates environmental stewardship and can enhance your brand's reputation in the Revere community.

The Bigger Picture: From Waste to Resource

When your restaurant's food scraps are collected, they are transported to a permitted composting facility or anaerobic digester. There, through controlled biological processes, they are transformed into compost-a nutrient-rich soil amendment used in agriculture, landscaping, and gardening. This closes the loop, returning organic matter to the soil rather than burying it in a landfill. By participating in organics recycling, Revere's restaurants are directly supporting the creation of a local, circular economy and helping Massachusetts meet its ambitious waste diversion goals.

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