Frequently asked questions

See printable compost list here.

Typically not at all. Inside we recommend using a countertop collection unit in the kitchen to collect daily and then dropping it in your 5 gallon bucket each night. Outside the house, we swap out your 5-gallon barrel and wash it out it each time, so you get a fresh clean scent free bucket :)

Most of the time we ask you leave it by the mailbox for ease of retrieval (or if you live in a condo or apartment by a visible front door).

We service Nashua and some bordering Hollis areas. However, we do have a self swap station that you may use off of Broad Street.

Many of our members start out thinking they won't have enough material, only to discover they're filling their bucket faster than expected. Between fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, eggshells, leftovers, and other compostable materials, most households generate more food scraps than they realize. If you find that weekly service is more than you need, consider our bi-weekly pickup option or our self-serve drop-off station, where you can bring your bucket whenever it's full. No matter how much you compost, every bucket helps keep food scraps out of the landfill and supports Grow Nashua's community programs.

We understand that any additional cost can be a burden and want you to still be able to participate, so have a few ideas/options. If you are a family that wants to teach your children and you participate in any of the following: WIC, SNAP, school food assistance for your child, pantries, let us know and we have some funds set aside to offer the service at a minimal rate. You could set up a compost tumbler in your backyard, solar composter with just a hole in the ground, or bury small amounts throughout your garden. A vermicompost unit is also fairly easy to create or purchase and worms will eat up to their body weight every day! There are many ways to participate. Just make sure it is and easy set-up and go for it!

Food scraps make up about one-fifth of the waste we throw away. When they are buried in a landfill, they generate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Composting helps recover the value in those materials, turning them into renewable energy, soil products, and other beneficial resources instead of waste.

Absolutely. While no single action solves every environmental challenge, composting is one simple step that reduces waste, conserves resources, and allows us to generate electricity and return organic matter to the soil where it belongs!

Composting aligns with our mission to build a healthier, more resilient community. Every subscription helps support community gardens, school gardens, food access programs, nutrition education, and local green jobs right here in Nashua.

Every subscription helps support community gardens, school gardens, food access programs, nutrition education, and local green jobs throughout Nashua.