Curbside Composting

Why is Composting Important?

Did you know that approximately 30% of Massachusetts' waste stream is made up of material that could be composted? When food waste is sent to landfills, it doesn't properly decompose and emits methane, a greenhouse gas more than 25x more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting speeds up the natural process of decomposition and creates a final product that adds nutrients, moisture, and carbon to soil!

Benefits of Composting:

1. Enriches soil, helping retain moisture and suppress plant diseases and pests.
2. Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
3. Encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material.
4. Reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers your carbon footprint.

Subscribing

The Town of Brookline has partnered with Black Earth Compost to encourage residents to subscribe to curbside organics at a fixed price set by our agreement. 

There are currently four subscription options that Black Earth Compost offers:

*Most common subscription in Brookline. If over 3,000 households sign up for collection the price will drop to $49.99/ 6 months. 

For a limited time, the Town of Brookline's DPW is offering FREE compost starter kits (a value of up to $38) to all new Black Earth Compost residential subscribers! To collect your free starter kit, drop by Brookline's Municipal Service Center at 870 Hammond Street, Brookline, MA 02467 on any Tuesday from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm. If these hours don't work for you, please contact us at [email protected] to set up an appointment to collect your starter kit. Make sure you bring your receipt (on your phone is fine!) for proof of purchase!

To learn what you can/cannot compost as a Black Earth Compost customer, please see the Black Earth Compost Guide. The Town of Brookline is not involved in the payments for service, agreements will be directly between the resident and Black Earth Compost. Sign up for weekly service.