Composting Pilot Project

Food Scrap Recycling: It's Easy!

Durham-Middlefield Food Scrap Recycling pilot project starting September 1, 2021. All material collected is brought to a commercial composting facility where it is turned into compost.

Here's How to Do It:

  • Purchase Your Starter Kit, Starting August 1:
    • The $25 Starter Kit fee includes:
    • A two-gallon countertop pail
    • A six-gallon home storage and transportation bin (both covered)
    • A roll of 25 compostable bags for your countertop pail
    • Kits can be ordered:
    • Online through Venmo.
    • Kits can be purchased, or picked up if prepaid through Venmo, at:
    • The Durham Farmers Market, Thursdays from 3 to 6:30 pm
    • The Middlefield Land Use/Building Department (Middlefield Community Center, 405 Main Street) - Monday 8:30 am to 5 pm, or Tuesday through Thursday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
    • Cash accepted. Checks can be made out to: "Coginchaug Area Transition" (with "Compost" in memo line).
  • Collect your food scraps in the countertop pail, lined with a compostable bag.
  • Transfer food scraps into the six-gallon bin for weekly storage.
    • Most residents will fill the two-gallon countertop pail with food scraps 3 to 4 times per week, which can then be transferred into the six-gallon bin. It is recommended that food storage bins be kept indoors, either in the house or in the garage.

Bring your bin to the Food Scrap Recycling drop-off bins at the DMIAAB Transfer Station to dispose of your food scraps.

Drop-Off Location & Hours

The Food Scrap Recycling drop-off bins are located at the DMIAAB Transfer Station on Cherry Hill Road in Middlefield, right over the Durham town line. Pilot project participants must have a current DMIAAB Transfer Station sticker, which can be purchased at the Transfer Station site. This will allow access all other services on the site as well as the Food Scrap Recycling pilot program.

The Food Scrap Recycling bins will be open on:

Mondays
8 am to 7:45 pm,

Saturdays
8 am to 3 pm

Accepted Items

All food, including:

  • Fruits and Vegetables (remove stickers, bands, ties)
  • Meat and poultry (bones ok)
  • Fish and shellfish (shells ok)
  • Dairy Products
  • Bread and Pasta
  • Rice and Grains
  • Egg Shells
  • Chips and Snacks
  • Nuts and Seeds
  • Leftover, Spoiled, and Expired Food (cooked ok)
  • Coffee Grounds (paper filters ok) and Tea Bags (no staples)
  • Paper Towels and Napkins
  • Cut Flowers
  • Compostable Bags and paper bags (no plastic bags)

Items Not Accepted or Never Allowed

  • Plastic bags, plastic packaging, and plastic wrappers. Plastic does not biodegrade and therefore will contaminate the compost. Use only compostable bags, paper bags, or no bags.
  • Baby/Hand wipes. They are synthetic, do not biodegrade and will contaminate the compost.
  • Pet waste.

Information

For questions on the program, please email the Compost Pilot.