City’s network of food waste drop-off bins funded by Participatory Budgeting to expand free compost collection to residents citywide. ~Photo courtesy of City of Somerville

Learn more at City’s annual Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, November 7

The City of Somerville is making it easier for residents to compost their food scraps with 10 new food waste drop-off bins across the city.

The bins have been installed citywide and are ready for use. Community members can search the City’s location map to find one nearby.

“Even a banana peel can be part of our response to climate change,” said Mayor Jake Wilson. “Residents voted for this project because they wanted composting to be an option for more of their neighbors. These bins give everyone in Somerville a free way to turn food scraps into something useful while keeping food out of the trash and away from rats.”

The new network builds on existing composting efforts, including the City’s curbside food waste collection pilot in East Somerville and the thousands of households that subscribe to private curbside collection services.

How to Use the Bins

Visit somervillema.gov/foodwaste to register, find bin locations, and view the full list of accepted items.

• Register: Complete a one-time registration online, scan the QR code on a bin, or call 311 to get an access code. Registration helps the City understand how residents use the bins and plan next steps for the program.

• Find a bin: Check the online map for a convenient location. Your access code works at all 10 bins.

• Drop off your food scraps: Place food scraps or accepted food soiled paper (for example, coffee filters or paper towels) in a compostable or paper bag before putting them in a bin.

• Don’t trash the compost: Compost bins are for food scraps, not for regular trash. Put items like pet waste, vapes, or recyclables in the trash.

Give Your Jack-o’-Lantern a Smashing Send-Off on Nov. 7

Bring your own pumpkins or smash some of ours to help turn them into compost at the City’s annual Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, November 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants can also join a walk to the new bin outside the East Somerville Branch Library to see how it works. Information about the East Somerville Curbside Food Waste Collection Pilot will also be available.

Supporting a More Sustainable Somerville

Expanding food waste collection is part of the City’s work to meet the goals outlined in Somerville’s Zero Waste Plan and Climate Forward, including reducing waste by 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. Plant and animal waste and compostable paper make up approximately 30% of municipal solid waste in Massachusetts. Collecting these materials separately helps keep them out of the trash and allows them to be turned into compost that can be used to fertilize the soil.

To view this update and more City news on the City website, visit somervillema.gov/news.

-City of Somerville