FAQs

We will try to have the start up kits at your door within a few days.  If there is a delay then we will contact you.  We will send an email the night before your collection will start. Typically it will be a week to week and a half before your first pickup.

Brookline- Monday Pickup

Dormont- Monday Pickup

Fox Chapel- Wednesday Pickup

Highland Park- Wednesday Pickup

Lawrenceville- Wednesday Pickup

Morningside- Wednesday Pickup

Mt Lebanon- Monday Pickup or

Thursday Pickup depending on the neighborhood

Mt Washington- Wednesday Pickup

Shadyside- Wednesday Pickup

Stanton Heights-Wednesday PIckup

Squirrel Hill- Wednesday Pickup

Upper St Clair- Thursday Pickup

Food waste-fruit and vegetables, meat, bones, eggs and shells, grains, dairy, tea bags, coffee grounds and coffee filters, BPI compostable serviceware and paper products, non bleached paper napkins.  The list is also located on the How it works tab. We provide a Yes and No list on your bin.  

Under the Contact tab on our website you can alert us of any changes that need to happen.

Please use our contact form so we can replace your lid.  If you need a new container altogether please email us.  Lids will be free but new container may incur a cost.  

You can choose to cancel at anytime.  Please go to member access to do so.

We use compostable bags for ease in transport.  It would require a larger truck if we had to take each container and replace it with a new one.  This way if you line your bin with your bag, double knot it before you place it on your curb we can leave you your bin and you can keep it as clean as you want.  

We have carefully selected bags so that they are less likely to tear or break.  Thin compostable bags break down and tear easily.

To order more bags you can find a link under Member Access.

We request all bags be at least 0.8MIL or thicker. UNNI, JTSC, and Bag to Earth are brands that we approve of. You can order the first two online and you can buy the later at Rolliers Hardware in Mt Lebanon, PA.

After signing up for the service we presume all customers want to receive the bag.  Just email us at Netty@thecompostpeople.com to indicate your preference.  

All the food that goes into the disposal only gets chopped and then still needs processed by the water company.  The Pennsylvania Resource Council reports that in Pittsburgh ⅓ of the waste is burned, ⅓ is sent to landfills, and ⅓ is shipped to Ohio.

For COMMERCIAL food waste collection and composting services please contact us at 412-804-8609 or email us at netty@thecompostpeople.com

As we expand we will be looking for neighborhoods that have a lot of interest.  Please sign up on the contacts page and have your neighbors sign up as well. We hope to come to your area soon.  

Some compostable materials contain harmful glues or dyes that do not breaking down.  We are trying to make sure that the compost you get will help your garden, not hurt it.  We are always monitoring products and will make sure we keep the most up to date information on our website under HOW IT WORKS.




Commercial Composting can reach heats that some backyard compost bins cannot. We also have large amounts of greens and browns that help breakdown the material.

All customers receive 1 cubic foot of compost if they want it. We plan to deliver compost at the end of March.