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ReCollective Community Compost Logo

ReCollective Community Composting

Transform Food Scraps into Community Impact

Composting memberships starting at only $3.15 a week!

Composting made simple with convenient drop-off locations right in your neighborhood.

Is your Community already part of the program?

Find your personalized Community Dashboard and Sign Up!

What compostables are accepted in your Purple Bin:

  • ALL FOOD WASTE (COOKED OR RAW) & MORE
  • Fruit & vegetable scraps
  • Dairy items
  • Eggshells
  • Meats, bones & seafood
  • Bread, pasta & cereal
  • Nuts & shells
  • Seeds & pits
  • Coffee grounds & loose-leaf tea
  • Coffee filters & tea bags
  • Tofu
  • Paper towels, napkins and bags
  • Paper plates (unlined/uncoated)
  • Flowers & house plant trimmings
  • Pizza boxes
  • Cotton fabric
  • Pet food
  • Anything that grows

MEMBERSHIP PLANS

COMMUNITY COMPOST Drop-Off
(Only)

$3.15/Week

Billed monthly

4 Gallons of Organics / Food Scraps Dropped Off Per Week:

  • 4 Gallon Purple Bin For Food Scrap Collection
  • Community Impact Reporting
  • Add an extra 4 gallons per week $1.50/week

COMMUNITY COMPOST Drop-Off & HARD-TO-RECYCLE Home Pickup

$7.00/Week

Billed monthly

4 Gallons of Organics / Food Scraps Dropped Off Per Week:

  • 4 Gallon Purple Bin For Food Scrap Collection
  • Community Impact Reporting
  • Add an extra 4 gallons per week $1.50/week

Monthly Home HARD-TO-RECYCLE Pickup of:

  • Plastic Film & Bags
  • Textiles
  • Batteries
  • Light Bulbs
  • Styrofoam
  • ReCo Picks (20+ materials per year that rotate)
  • Starter kit of canvas ReCo bags
  • Clean reusable canvas bags each month
  • On-demand support 
  • Text/Email reminders
  • Sharing with Friends is encouraged!
  • #1 Clamshells* ($2/bag)
  • #5 Plastics* ($2/bag)
  • Specialty Add-ons*
  • Fillaree Soap Add-on**

Hard-to-Recycle service is at the home doorstep, not the community compost drop-off area. *Members have access to the online add-on shop through the membership portal, where you can add additional services to your regular monthly pick-up. These services include extra capacity, clamshells, #5 plastics, paint, fluorescent tubes, paper shredding, printers, monitors, and more! **Through a partnership with Fillaree, members may also purchase refills of Fillaree Soap & Suds Hand & Body Soap and Fillaree Clean Plate Club Dish Soap to be delivered when their hard-to-recycle items are picked up. 

How does Community Composting work?

community composting bin

The ReCollective provides Food Scrap Drop-off Memberships for Community Composting: The membership cost is about one-third that of traditional doorstep food scrap pickup from compost-only providers – saving households several hundred dollars per year. 

Members receive ReCo’s 4-gallon Purple Bin to collect their food scraps at home and to take them to the community drop-off location.

35 or 65-Gallon Carts in Common Areas: These carts are placed in common areas (e.g., pool parking lot, HOA center, building commons, etc.) for convenient drop-off of your food scraps. The carts will be regularly swapped with clean ones based on the community’s needs.

Members keep their own 4-gallon Purple Bin.

The intention is not to exclude anyone! From our research on successful programs in other cities, locks on the bins helps avoid contamination. Lock codes would be provided to members.

community compost cart at community center
recollective hard-to-recycle materials

Hard-to-Recycle ServicesFood Scrap Drop-off members have the option to add Hard-to-Recycle services if needed, which need to remain a doorstep pickup model due to the hazardous nature of some materials. Communities adopting Community Compost will receive discounts on Hard-to-Recycle memberships.

 We weigh your food scraps and track the pounds diverted from landfills, sharing your impact on a personalized Community Diversion Dashboard each month!

ReCollective Community Compost Dashboard

F.A.Q.s

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I’m interested in having a Community Compost drop-off in my neighborhood. How do I get started?

We’re glad you’re interested in a Community Compost drop-off site near you! To learn more about the program and how to get started, please schedule a time to meet with our team.

Who is your composting partner?

Like other food scrap home pickup services in the Triangle, The ReCollective partners with Brooks Contractor. Brooks Contractor is a leading commercial composter in the region.

Why is Hard-To-Recycle picked up from my doorstep while Community Compost requires a drop-off?

Our Hard-To-Recycle pickup service handles a wide range of materials, including scrap metal, certain hazardous items, and high-volume materials like Styrofoam and plastic film. Due to space limitations in common areas, exposure to the elements, and the varying types of materials customers generate, a pickup model works best for collecting Hard-To-Recycle materials.

I am an existing Hard-To-Recycle member. How do I sign up for Community Composting?

If you’re a current Hard-To-Recycle member living in a community with Community Composting, please email help@therecollective.co to sign up.

Do you take BPI-certified compostable items?

We have consistently discouraged the use of compostable plastics and have now decided to stop accepting them entirely. However, Bambooware, cutlery, and BPI-certified paper and fiberware products are still acceptable.
BPI-certified plastics must meet carbon conversion standards, meaning they break down into CO2 but don’t decompose into nutrient-rich soil. Even with certification, BPI compostable plastics are only required to break down 90%, leaving behind residual, non-integrated materials. The mixed nature of food waste makes it even more challenging to identify non-compostable plastics, which are surprisingly common. As a result, many of these plastics are sifted out and sent to the landfill, increasing both costs and environmental harm. Additionally, there are growing concerns about PFAS in many products, whether certified or not.

Why is there a lock on the Community Compost collection cart?

Locking the Community Compost collection cart helps prevent contamination from individuals unfamiliar with composting, especially at visible community drop-off sites. The lock also ensures that only registered members have access to the cart space.

How can I take advantage of the discount for signing up for both a Community Compost (drop-off) membership and a Hard-To-Recycle (doorstep) subscription?

New members who sign up for both Community Compost drop-off and Hard-To-Recycle doorstep services will automatically receive a discount, reflected in the combined price. Existing members who would like to add Community Compost to their Hard-To-Recycle plan can email help@therecollective.co to sign up and access the discount.

My neighborhood doesn’t have common space. Do we still have options for a Community Compost drop-off site?

Yes! While many communities choose HOA-owned properties, such as recreational club parking spaces, communities without these facilities have other options. Depending on your neighborhood, it may be possible to host a Community Compost drop-off site in your driveway.

As a Community Compost drop-off member, can I periodically receive finished compost in return?

Community Composting is a new service at The ReCollective, and we are exploring options to offer compost return and/or specialty recycling services to Community Compost drop-off members in the future.

Is there a minimum number of participants required to host a Community Compost drop-off site?

Yes, at least five committed members are needed to host a Community Compost drop-off site in your community.

How often will food scraps/compost be collected from the neighborhood drop-off hub?

Compost is collected weekly when 10 or more members are participating. For neighborhoods with 5 to 9 members, collection is bi-weekly. Please note that service days may occasionally shift.

Where can I find my Purple Bin, and do I have to use it for collection?

You can find a Purple Bin at your neighborhood’s designated drop-off location. While using the Purple Bin is encouraged, you may collect your compostables in any container that suits you. Many members also use countertop bins or other repurposed containers for convenience.

Are liners required for the Purple Bin?

No, liners aren’t required, but they can help keep your bin clean. If you choose to use a liner, please avoid bioplastics, as our composter no longer accepts them. Compostable paper bags or regular grocery bags work best.

How can I track the impact my community is making by composting?

Each month, your community’s impact statistics are updated on your personalized Community Dashboard, showing how many pounds of waste have been diverted from landfills. We encourage you to share these statistics with friends and neighbors to spread awareness about the positive impact you’re making!