Residential Composting Service

Helping you combat climate change by making residential composting easy in Chicagoland.

We’re committed to guiding you to the best possible solution for your particular household.

Read the How It Works section below if you’re totally new to our customized, container-swap composting service.

  • that can be easily integrated into homes, businesses and institutions.

  • are different from backyard composting and allow you to compost every kind of food waste.

  • are customized to your needs with either 5-gallon buckets or 32-gallon totes swapped out weekly, biweekly or every four weeks.

  • that include being able to pay monthly, quarterly or annually, with annually being the most cost-effective choice.

  • hold 32 gallons and can be used communally in neighborhoods, multi-unit buildings or for customers that produce a higher volume of organic waste.

  • can have as many collection containers and swapouts per week as needed to meet your food scrap collection needs. High-volume tote service includes discounts.

  • apply to additional containers.

  • of all sizes are possible with our composting containers and expert staffing to guide your guests in sorting all waste streams. Learn more.

How it works

  • the custom service plan that makes composting easiest for you.

  • the size and number of containers you need and friendly e-mail communications about swapout dates, holiday schedules, and informative blog posts.

  • with food scraps and CMA-W-certified compostable products and put it outside for swapout, wherever it’s easiest for you.

  • for an empty, washed container.

  • and divert your food scraps happily ever after.

Community programs available for the following municipalities:

Flexible Service Options

Compost communally with Neighbor Totes™

Looking for a shared composting solution? Get a tote instead of bucket!

Each 32-gallon tote accommodates food scraps for 24 people in a week.

It works the same way as the residential compost bucket swap, only in this case you share a bigger container with your neighbors or community.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • All food scraps and certified compostable products can be put in your container. See our What to Compost page for guidance.

  • You want an easy, actionable way to combat climate change and make a positive difference in your loved ones’ futures. Diverting your food scraps from a landfill through composting both reduces the amount of methane your household is responsible for producing and recovers resources to enable the nutrients present in your food waste to become a natural fertilizer to regenerate our soil.

  • Our 5-gallon buckets have lids that seal tightly. Our 32-gallon totes are bagged and also have lids. When the containers are closed, they do not smell. As it gets closer to your swap-out day, you may notice that the contents smell when you open it. The odor dissipates soon after you’ve closed it up. If keeping your bucket or tote outside is an option, that would help. Some customers freeze some of their food scraps and place them in our collection containers on the swap-out day. Click here(Link) for ideas on how to set up compost collection in your kitchen. You may also see our blog post about managing your compost collection (Link) during the summer for additional tips and tricks.

  • Each spring, we offer 10 free gallons of finished compost to our customers at what we’ve named our Spring Finished Compost Gift-Back. We offer several different days for customers to bring their own containers, collect their compost, and have the opportunity to purchase more if they need more. We partner with our colleagues in the local composting and farming community to provide this gift for our customers. Find out more about finished compost gift-back.