What can I compost?
"If it grows it goes! When in doubt, leave it out!"
Vegetable trimmings? Yes, please! Avocado pits? Of course! Shrimp shells? Throw it in! Even meat, dairy, bones, pineapple tops... We can accept the things you're told don't work well in your backyard!
We're able to compost practically all food scraps, with the exception of liquid.
Is there anything I can't compost?
Check out link.perennial.city/no for the full scoop!
Please leave "compostable/biodegradable" bioplastics, personal care products, human or pet waste (including hair, nails, etc), liquids, and waxed paper out of your bucket.
Do not include dryer lint or vacuum cleaner particulates, they contain collected synthetics.
Any inorganic materials or products containing inorganic material are not compostable, including:
- produce stickers
- paper beverage cups (these are coated with plastic)
- staples (for example, on tea bags)
- tea bag wrappers (if made of foil or lined with plastic)
- rubber bands & twist ties (from bunches of flowers, vegetables, herbs)
- glossy paper
- paper products contaminated with cleaning products
- receipt paper (coated with a plastic dust)
- Thanks for working with us to make the best compost possible!
Can I store my bucket outside between pickups?
Please store your bucket inside to avoid attracting pests and reduce odors.
How do I keep my bucket from getting smelly?
To keep your scraps as fresh as possible, store your bucket indoors and keep your lid snapped on tight to prevent unwelcome visitors making a home.
Add scraps, trimmings and leftovers, but not foods that are already putrid or look like a science experiment ;)
Be sure to have your bucket out on pickup day to never miss a pickup! Scraps older than two weeks may no longer be compostable.
Where do my scraps go?
Your scraps feed the world's sweetest flock of chickens and are turned into amazing compost at a family farm! You are helping to build farms and the local food web with what would otherwise have been waste!
Perennial City is currently on the hunt for a permanent industrial/agricultural location to grow our composting operation. If you know of somewhere that seems like a good fit, drop us a line!
Can I compost my used paper towels and napkins?
Paper towels and napkins with food remnants, dirt or water are perfectly good to go in your bucket! Please do not include paper towels or napkins with any sort of cleaner on them.
What happens if I lose or damage my bucket?
A replacement bucket is $8, a new lid is $1.
Aw, man! My neighborhood is not listed on your Service Area page. Can I still join the Perennial City Team?
Perennial City is not expanding our service area—our model is community scale full circle food production, and to do this well we are focused on our current neighborhoods.
If you love this vision, and would like to be a part of the movement farming and serving neighborhoods of your own, we could help and would love to hear from you.
I live in an apartment building. Will you be able to pick up my compost?
We have many members in apartment buildings!
Our main need to serve you is for your compost courier to be able to access your bucket without assistance.
Please let us know in detail in the "where will we pick up" field on sign up what works best.
With a gate or building access code, we can pick right up at the front door of your unit!
Some apartment buildings have access during the day where we swap from the mail room or other common area. Bushes and back stairwells are some other creative options currently employed. In these cases, you'll need to let your maintenance staff know so your bucket isn't thrown away, and possibly work out a spot that is OK with them.
When will my bucket be picked up?
We make pickups between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m on your neighbohood-specific pickup day. We'll send you a helpful reminder email the night before!
Do I need to be home when you pick up my bucket?
Nope!
When does my susbcription start?
We'll drop your bucket off the on the first pickup day for your neighborhood following your sign up.
If you sign up early on the day your neighborhood gets collected, we are sometimes able to drop off that day.
Hey, wait, so what does bi-weekly mean?
Yeah, it's kind of confusing. We had to google it, and apparently it can go either way. In our case, it means we're picking up every other week. This is ideal for households of two or less who are not avid cooks.
How big is the bucket?
Our buckets are 4 gallon capacity, square-shaped for space efficiency. They conveniently fit under your sink or in most cabinets.
Dimensions: 9.5"W x 12.5"H
Can I get some of that sweet, sweet compost?
Sure thing! Team members have the option to receive a compost once yearly, and we do compost giveback with bucket swaps in the Spring and Fall. It takes about a full year for our special process, though we only ask members to be with us for 6 months before receiving their first compost giveback.
Do you provide composting services for events?
We are only able to provide event composting for current members at events within our service area. If this is the case for you, shoot us an email.
I'm interested in your services for my restaurant. Can we set that up?
We are not equipped for commercial composting. However, if you are a restaurant in our service area
interested in composting pre-consumer food scraps only, we'd love to chat.
What's your Privacy Policy?
We prioritize your privacy. We do not share any of your data with third parties. Any information shared is kept confidential and used solely to fulfill requested services.