Residential Food Scraps Recycling Program

The City of Buffalo and Farmer Pirates Compost have teamed up to bring organics recycling to 2000 residents in Buffalo as part of it's new FREE Scrap It! Curbside Pilot Program. Enrollment will be open to ALL districts within the city.

To be eligible for this pilot program you must:

Be a resident of the City of Buffalo
Live in a Residential home with 3 or fewer units
Commercial Apartment buildings are not eligible at this time- Check out our Neighborhood Drop Off Locations or Buffalo's Scrap It! Drop Off Program for other composting options)

UPDATE:
THERE IS NOW A WAIT LIST FOR ALL AREAS
We encourage interested residents to preregister below to be added to the wait list. We will enroll off the wait list if/when spaces become available.

Composting benefits everyone by:

Reducing landfill waste
Reducing pollution and harmful greenhouse gas emissions
Creating a cleaner, healthier community
Improving soil and plant health

How it Works:

Signups will be reviewed on a Monthly basis. Once we confirm your eligibility we will contact you to schedule your brown tote delivery and services will begin shortly thereafter.

Why Compost?

Did you know that most of what you throw away is not in fact garbage, but a highly reusable resource? Composting keeps those organic materials in production, out of landfills and instead uses them to revitalize and fertilize soil to grow healthy plants, all while creating a cleaner, healthier community!

How do I participate?

Curbside Composting is easy!

Simply collect your food scraps in an easy to clean container with a tight fitting lid such as a tupperware, metal bowl, bucket, etc.
Empty your scraps into your brown tote. BE SURE TO SNAP THE LID CLOSED EACH TIME.
On trash pickup day, simply wheel your brown tote to the curb alongside your garbage and recycling.
Farmer Pirates Compost will empty it and leave a new compostable liner.

What can I compost?

Wondering what items we accept? You can find our basic list HERE.

So many things can be composted with Farmer Pirates like the obvious fruit and vegetable scraps, but also grains, bread, dairy, eggshells, coffee grounds and more. The big No-No's are meat, bones and large quantities of oils.
Although we can take small amounts of plant trimmings, yard waste drop off is already free for residents by taking it to 383 Babcock Street Monday-Friday 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Please note we do not accept Grass, Sod, Dirt, or Branches/Sticks

Where it goes

The Farmer Pirates operate a compost site in Buffalo’s Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood. We manage and maintain the compost piles by mixing your food waste with different local carbon sources to create rich “finished” compost to be used on local urban farms and gardens.

Preregister Now

Check out the Frequently Asked Questions HERE

Wondering about our compost? Click HERE

Download

Eligibility and Rules

Participation Terms

By enrolling in this program, I agree to the following conditions of this agreement. I understand that my collection tote will be dropped off by the City of Buffalo and my first collection will begin shortly thereafter.

Responsibility of the City of Buffalo/ Farmer Pirates Compost

Provide the member with a 12 gallon brown tote with compostable liner for the collection of compost resources, as well as the information needed to safely and cleanly collect these resources. Tote is the property of the City of Buffalo.
On collection day Farmer Pirates Compost will empty the food scraps from the tote and leave a new liner.
The pick-up shall be scheduled on a set route every week to coincide with trash/recycling schedule.

Responsibility of the Resident Participating in the Program

Resident shall put ONLY the appropriate compost materials into their collection tote as defined by the information provided by the City of Buffalo.
Residents will put the tote out for collection weekly at the curb on the collection day. If a resident does not need a pickup for any reason, resident will use their Customer Portal to "SKIP" service BEFORE the day of collection.
If a food scrap collection tote is not emptied, resident should file a "Missed Pickup Report" in their Customer Portal.
Failure to comply may cause the removal of the tote and ability to participate in the program.

Why Don't I Get Free Compost Back?

why don't i get

It is natural for participants to assume they might be entitled to some of the finished compost that is created from their food scraps. We want to take a moment to explain why free compost is not included when signing up for Scrap It! Curbside.

As you can imagine, there is a lot that goes into the coordination and management of collecting food scraps from 2000 households all over the city. From sign up and all the behind the scenes administration, boots on the ground labor to empty the totes, to vehicle acquisition and maintenance, insurance, compostable liners and all the other misc fees and expenses - you can see these costs add up.

Once we get all these food scraps back to our facility (instead of to the landfill) we have another year long process to turn those food scraps into finished compost which can then be used to grow more food. This also involves management, labor, equipment, property upkeep and improvement. When this process is complete, there is yet another step before the compost is ready to go back out into the community. It must be tested, screened and in some instances, bagged.

In order to make this program a reality for our city at the moment, it must be cost effective and fit within the given budget. At this point in the program the funding only covers the costs that go into the collection portion of the process. Also, although we do sell the finished compost back to the community, in no way does the revenue earned match the cost to produce the product.

Just as when you put your recycling and trash out to the curb each week and do not expect anything in return, composting is the same concept. The difference here is that our small business is processing your would be waste right here in our own community into a valuable resource that will again be used right here in our community - to heal, to nourish, to grow!

Scrap It! FAQs

Scrap It! Curbside FAQs

What is composting anyway?

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.

Why should I participate?

This pilot program will allow you to compost with minimal work or upkeep. The EPA estimates 24% of all municipal solid waste is compostable. Participation in this pilot makes it simple to keep your food scraps out of the landfill and compost them instead.

How long is this pilot?

This pilot program is currently funded through December 2024. It is hopeful that the City will continue to access grant funding to continue, if not expand the program!

How often do you pickup?

This is a weekly service! If you do not think you have enough in your bin one week for a pickup, simply SKIP your pickup using your Customer Portal.

What if my brown tote isn't full?

If your brown bin doesn't have enough to put out, simply use your Customer Portal to SKIP that week's pickup. Even easier, sign up for text reminders and simply reply SKIP if you don't need the next day's pickup.

How should I collect my scraps at home?

Simply choose a container to collect in and get going! While prepping meals, toss unused fruit and veggies parts in your collection container. Got leftovers that have gone bad? As long as they don't contain meat, toss them in. Fruits, veggies, breads or dairy gone bad, add them too!.

What container should I use ?

You can use whatever container you have on hand with a lid, or even purchase a specialized countertop collector. If you would like, you can line this container with a BPI or TUV certified compostable liner or a paper bag.

Can I use compostable bags in my collection container?

Yes! As long as they are BPI or TUV Certified Compostable. Some good choices are Biobag, EcoSafe, and Cleanomics. Unsure, check the Betterbin app or just ask us!

What can I include in my tote? Are there any no-no’s?

You can get all the details at Betterbin. There are the obvious no no's like plastic, glass and metal. Please no meat or bones. Some other not so clear items are corks, gum, kitty litter or dog poop, we can't take it. Rabbit and hamster waste/bedding are fine! If you’re unsure, just ask.

What about fruit flies?

As long as your collection container/s have a tight fitting lid, fruit flies should not become a problem. In the warmer months you may want to freeze your fruit or tomato scraps before putting them into your collection container.

What if my tote starts to smell?

There are a few things we recommend. First try adding a bit of shredded newspaper (b&w only please). You could also try sprinkling on a bit of baking soda to absorb the smell. Finally, if you are going to put something in there that you are quite certain will smell put it in the freezer until closer to your pick-up day!

Will this pilot attract rodents?

Remember: you are not adding anything new to your waste stream, simply separating it! In fact, since your brown bin has a latch to keep it closed, it is more rodent proof than your blue tote.

Do you accept yard waste?

Due to our truck's limited capacity we can only take what fits into your tote. Yard waste should be brought to 500 Mineral Springs - Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Each Spring & Fall Season we may offer Special Yard Waste Pickups which can be ordered through your Customer Portal Shop.

I'm moving to another Buffalo Address!?

No problem! We just ask two things. 1st: put in a Address change request through your Customer Portal. We will reach out to confirm the change and notify you of any changes to pickup day. 2nd: Take your brown tote with you to your new address and continue composting as normal!

I'm moving out of Buffalo..now what?

First, put in a cancellation request through your Customer Portal. We will reach out to confirm with any follow up instructions. Want to continue composting? We offer our composting services in many towns and suburbs around the Buffalo area. Check out the rest of our website to see the services we offer!

How can I cancel?

Simply head to your Customer Portal and choose Account & Billing- Request to Cancel. Leave your tote on the front porch or side of house and a city worker will come by to collect it shortly.