DPW Superintendent Randy Sylvester, in partnership with the Cleaner Greener Hingham Committee, is proud to announce several ways for residents to compost in Hingham and move closer to our net zero by 2040 goal.
Sylvester and his team built a robust composting program over the past three years that is beneficial to both the residents and the environment. “By offering food waste composting, we are reducing the Town’s cost to dispose of materials, reducing methane, which is 25 more times as potent as CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere, and creating clean organic soil,” said Sylvester. Composting aligns with the Town of Hingham’s commitment to be net zero by 2040, outlined in the newly released Climate Action Plan.
Backyard Composting
Residents can purchase compost bins for home composting from the Hingham DPW. The New Age compost bin is rodent-resistant and offered through the Town for $25. Thanks to funding from the MA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the cost to residents is over 50% off the retail price of these bins. All of the funds collected are put towards offsetting the price of the town’s recycling and helping fund Household Hazardous Waste days for residents.
The bin size is flexible and can be customized depending on the space available. The bin can hold as much as 1 cubic yard of material for composting. To learn more, visit the Town of Hingham's composting page where you will find more helpful information about composting including a recipe and a recording of a Zoom presentation about backyard composting put on by Cleaner Greener Hingham. To purchase a compost bin for backyard composting, please contact the DPW at (781) 741-1430.
Curbside Compost Collection
There are two compost companies that service Hingham residents for curbside compost - Black Earth Compost and Bootstrap Compost. Both companies provide curbside compost pick up services for a fee. This convenient program allows residents to collect compost at home and have it picked up weekly or bi-weekly. It’s as easy as sorting your food scraps, placing them in a compostable bag and setting out curbside. Both companies will accept organic material including meat, bones and dairy, which are not recommended for backyard composting. Residents have an opportunity to receive compost from the companies for use in their garden beds and yards.
Bootstrap Compost customers fill up the bucket with food scraps and place it curbside for Bootstrap to pick up and replace with a clean bucket. Residents have an option to request finished compost back for use in their gardens. Upon request, Bootstrap shares up to 5 gallons (or 25 pounds) of premium compost per year. For more on Bootstrap, its history, and its impact, visit https:/bootstrapcompost.com.
Black Earth supplies a bin to its customers and asks them to fill a compostable bag with their food scraps and place it in the bin. The bin is emptied at curbside. In the spring, participants will receive a voucher for pickup of a cubic foot bag of compost from a participating garden centers and discounts on bulk delivery of compost and soil blends. Residents can find more information and sign up for Black Earth services at https://blackearthcompost.com/.
Survey
We want to hear from you – are you already composting? Would you like to learn more? Please fill out the Cleaner Greener Hingham Committee’s food scraps composting survey.