October 10, 2025 |City of Lynn, City Services, Dept. of Public Works (DPW), News, Resources

Lynn Launches Community Compost Pilot Program

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From the City of Lynn: The City of Lynn is launching a community compost pilot program, in hopes of reducing food waste in residents’ standard trash barrels. 

The initiative is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Public Works and Bigbelly and Black Earth Compost. The City has acquired two bins — one located at the Ford Street entrance of Manning Field and one at the Department of Public Works at 250 Commercial Street. Residents are invited to dispose of their food waste at either location.  

“We’re thrilled to launch this pilot program as an innovative solution to help manage our municipal waste stream more effectively and to encourage sustainable thinking in our community when disposing of food waste,” said Mayor Jared C. Nicholson. “This initiative relies on a strong partnership with our residents, and we look forward to their participation to ensure the program’s success.”

Acceptable items include fruit, vegetables, meat, bones, prepared food, plants, leaves, grass, twigs, food-soiled paper and napkins, tea bags, plates and coffee filters. Plastic products and pet waste are unacceptable. The compost bins are locked, so residents must install the Bigbelly Smart Compost app to access a bin. The bins are Bluetooth-operated.

One Bigbelly Smart Compost bin can serve the composting needs of 100 households, resulting in significantly lower operating costs compared to curbside collection programs.

“As a City, we are always looking for opportunities to empower residents with accessible, eco-friendly solutions for waste management,” said Lisa Nerich, Associate Commissioner of the Department of Public Works. “Lynn now offers several options for composting, which is in line with our goals to be a greener, environmentally responsible City.”