Show All Answers

1. Why should I compost?

Why Compost?

Over 40 percent of all food ends up in landfills where it rots amongst other waste and emits methane. Methane is a toxic greenhouse gas 27 times more powerful than carbon. Composting turns this waste into nutrient-rich soil, which in turn helps to grow more food.

2. How do I access the bins?

Sign up here! After sign up, a welcome email is sent to you with details about the program AND has the 4 digit code to access the bins at Lomond School. 

3. Where are the bins located?

The bins are on a wooden platform in the northwest corner of the Lomond School parking lot. Please note: The parking lot is closed to resident car traffic on school days 8:45-9:15 am and 3-3:40 pm.

4. What should I store my food scraps in?

We encourage participants to use a reusable bucket or container with a lid to transport your food scrap to the drop site.

• Rust Belt Riders buckets are available to purchase at any Phoenix Coffee shop or at our downtown headquarters at 2701 St. Clair Avenue.  They are $12 and come with a lid.
• You are also welcome to use your own storage container!

Storage Tips

• Store your food scraps in a paper bag in the freezer until drop day to prevent odors from accumulating in your bucket.
• Or keep a 5-gallon bucket in one of the following places for food scrap storage between drops: kitchen, laundry room, garage, foyer, mud room, stairwell, or under the sink.
• Use a brown paper bag to line your bucket with for easier clean up after drop-off; the brown paper bag can go right into the composting bins along with the food scraps 
• However, scraps can be dropped directly into the bins if you prefer.
• Always use a reusable container to limit waste

5. What materials are accepted?

All specific compostable products can be found on the Betterbin app. A username and password are required to use this app. It is a free searchable database that addresses EVERY item and if it is allowed in the bins. 

General Guidelines

Food

• Cooked, baked, and otherwise prepared foods
• Cereal, flour, grains, pasta, and rice
• Spoiled and expired food
• Eggs and eggshells
• Dairy products, think moldy cheese and yogurt. Please omit spoiled milk as we consider this a liquid.
• Meat, fish, bones, seafood shells
• Nuts, seeds, pits, and shells
• Coffee grounds and tea leaves
• Pet food, wet or dry

Food-soiled Paper (Uncoated)

• Towels and napkins
• Paper plates, non glossy only! If you're unsure, send it to the landfill or contact 
• Coffee filters and tea bags without the staple attached
• Paper bags from the grocery store. Please always recycle paper first and compost second.
• Uncoated food service paper trays and boxes

 BPI Certified Compostable Cups, Plates, and Silverware

All compostable serviceware products must be BPI certified. Otherwise they are NOT allowed in the containers.You may use a BPI certified compostable bag to line your bucket or bin with but we prefer you use a brown paper bag!

Below is the BPI Logo: Your item MUST have this logo on it in order for it to be included in our bins. 

6. What material is NOT accepted?

The following material is NOT accepted:

• Oil
• Plastic
• Metal
• Feces of any kind
• Plastic bags
• Rubber bands
• Twist ties
• Parchment paper
• Mail
• Other printer paper

7. Who services the bins? What's the schedule?

The bins are serviced weekly on Fridays. Rust Belt Riders is the service provider. Rust Belt Riders is a worker-owned cooperative dedicated to the health of the environment and of its employees. Their mission is to “Feed People, Not Landfills.”  They provide businesses, organizations, and individuals with an alternative to the landfill for their food waste.  They believe in creating and operating within a circular economy and actively practice workplace democracy. To them: “How they do their work is equally as important as the work they do.”

8. I already use the Rust Belt Rider service. Can I switch to this program?

Yes! Please email Rust Belt Riders and they can help get you transferred over. 

9. Why is this program limited to Lomond? How are Lomond's boundaries determined?

This is a pilot program with limited funding. The City hopes to expand the program in the future. The blue area on the map are the historical boundaries of the neighborhood as defined by the City’s Planning Department.