ROCKLAND — Rockland residents may now drop off food scraps and other compostable items for free at the Rockland Transfer Station’s new community compost bins. This new program is offered in partnership with ScrapDogs Community Compost.

According to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, over 40% of solid waste in Maine is organic waste. 

“Separating food waste from household trash is an opportunity to reduce Rockland’s waste disposal costs,” said Todd Philbrook, City of Rockland Public Services Director. “Composting food scraps instead of throwing them in with household trash helps the City save money and is better for the planet.”

Compostable items include table scraps, uncoated paper, meat, dairy, bones, and more. The new, free drop-off site is a drop-off program only.

For residents who are interested in receiving finished compost in return, the City and ScrapDogs will continue to offer the subscriber-only drop-off site that has been in place at the Rockland Transfer Station since 2022. For $18 every four weeks, drop-off subscribers receive a covered ScrapDogs bucket to collect and drop off food scraps, and can then order finished compost from ScrapDogs in return.

“We’re glad to offer Rockland residents these two composting options,” said Philbrook.

To learn more about food scrap composting at Rockland Transfer Station and get started, visit www.rocklandmaine.gov/compost. To learn more about ScrapDogs Community Compost, visit www.scrapdogscompost.com.

Since its inception, ScrapDogs has provided curbside collection to customers in the Midcoast region, and its service area has since grown to include Waterville, Augusta, Hallowell, and Gardiner, and commercial-only services between Wiscasset and Warren. The company also operates five other drop-off stations in its service area, including a similar model at Mid-Coast Solid Waste in Rockport and at the Belfast Transfer Station.