Brookline Launches Curbside Composting Incentive Program

BROOKLINE, MA — The Town of Brookline’s Department of Public Works is launching a curbside composting incentive program, in partnership with Black Earth Compost.

The curbside composting incentive program, which is active now, is designed to encourage residential composting in Brookline. The incentive program is being funded through a Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) grant.

While supplies last, new Brookline residential subscribers of Black Earth Compost will receive a free compost starter kit, courtesy of the Department of Public Works. The kits include a Black Earth Compost curbside bin and compostable bin liner bags.

When food waste material is sent to the landfill, it does not properly decompose, according to Brookline DPW officials. As a result, methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide, is released into the air.

Food waste that could be composted makes up approximately 30 percent of Massachusetts’ waste stream. Composting speeds up the natural process of decomposition and reverses global warming through deep carbon storage, which creates a final product that adds nutrients, moisture, and carbon to the soil.

“Composting is one of the most effective strategies to reduce greenhouse gasemissions and divert our waste from landfills and incinerators,” Zero Waste Program Manager Katie Weatherseed said in a statement. “We hope that by offering these free starter kits, we can lower the entry barrier to composting and support residents who may be considering signing up for Black Earth Compost but haven’t yet taken the plunge.”

Black Earth Compost accepts a variety of materials, including meat, bones, dairy, pizza boxes, and napkins. A full list of compostable materials can be found here.

The Brookline DPW recently completed its first Zero Waste Framework, which will help guide the implementation of waste-reduction programs and policies, including increased residential composting.

“This incentive program is an important step in increasing the adoption of residential curb-side composting and helping us achieve our town-wide sustainability and climate action goals Alexandra Vecchio, Director of Parks & Open Space, said in a statement

To subscribe to Black Earth Compost, visit www.blackearthcompost.com. To learn more about composting in Brookline, click here.