Year-Round, Self-Service Composting

Not ready for a curbside composting subscription? Have more to compost than your cart will hold? The Longmont Recycling Center accepts yard waste and household food waste year-round for composting during regular business hours. Visit the Longmont Recycling Center webpage to find hours and location.

Curbside Composting Service

Curbside compost/organics collection is available to all city of Longmont residential customers! This is an opt-in subscription service.

• Cost: $6.60 per month for either a 96 gallon or 48 gallon cart.
  • There is a 12 month minimum subscription period when you start a new compost service subscription.
  • Should you cancel your subscription within the 12 month start, a $40.00 cancelation fee will apply.
• Collection is every - other - week opposite your recycle collection.
• Sign up online through ServiceWorks! anytime or contact Waste Services, Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Collection Frequency

• Composting collection occurs on an every other week rotation, opposite your every other week recycling collection.
• Place your green-lidded composting cart at the curb before 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.
• View our Collection Schedule webpage to determine your composting pick-up day/week, and be sure to check our list of holidays or download the Waste Services App to get collection schedule, reminders and special collection event updates.

How to Compost at the Curb

• Each customer who subscribes to curbside composting service receives a black container with green lid.
• Place all your compostable items into your composting cart. Please do not overfill the cart.
• Do not use plastic bags or place any plastic or plastic coated materials in the cart. 
• Wash or rinse out your cart periodically. You are responsible for keeping your cart in a clean, sanitary condition at all times.
• View our Waste Services Guidelines for more information on where and how to put your cart out for collection.

Clean Composting: Handling Food Waste

• The simplest solution for many households is to put food waste in a green 3 gallon CMA approved compostable bag.
• Other, no-cost options include:
  • Keep food waste in your freezer until the day of your curbside pickup.
  • Place yard waste over your food waste.

Items you can put in your compost container

Only Yard Waste

• Yard debris, grass trimmings and weeds
• Leaves and branches (no larger than 6" in diameter) and must fit within the container
• Flowers & plants (no potting soils)

Only Food Waste

• Kitchen and table scraps - we can accept green 3-gallon or smaller CMA approved compostable bags for food waste and table scraps only. This includes fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meats, fish, chicken and bones

Items not accepted

• No compostable products of any kind this includes cups, glasses, plates, bowls, utensils, napkins, paper towels, facial tissue or any other compostable packaging
• No glass
• No plastic bags - (clean empty plastic bags can be recycled at the Longmont Recycling Center)
• No Styrofoam (can be recycled at the Longmont Recycling Center)
• No foam packing materials and peanuts (these items can be reused or put in the trash)
• No take out containers or to-go boxes
• No coffee grounds with filters or teabags
• No foam food (meat) trays - these are trash items
• No cardboard (can be placed in your recycle container or taken to the Longmont Recycling Center)
• No pizza boxes, (can be recycled in your curbside container - rip pizza box in half. Trash greasy side and recycle clean side
• No plastic-coated paper plates, cups and utensils. These are not recyclable or compostable - these are trash items
• No single use coffee cups and lids from coffee vendors - these are trash items
• No plastic food wrap or packaging
• No frozen food boxes (ice cream and frozen meals) and microwave meal trays - these are trash items
• No fast-food hot or cold beverage cups - these are trash items
• No food-contaminated aluminum foil (this is recyclable in your curbside container)
• No paper milk and juice cartons (these are recyclable in your curbside container)

Tips

• View the compost guidelines
• Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions
• If something is not compostable, it may be recyclable. Think before you throw.
• When in doubt, find out! Our Waste Wizard has the answers for what to do with many items.

Contact Waste Services with any composting questions.