Composting is easy, free, and an important strategy for curbing harmful climate pollution.

Did You Know?

The Johnston landfill is expected to reach capacity by 2034, according to a recent report published by the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.
Approximately 324,234 tons of Rhode Island’s municipal solid waste went to the Johnston landfill in CY18. According to RIRRC, about 32% – or 103,754.86 tons – of that could have been composted.
IF that waste had been composted, it would have saved 44,033 tons of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. That’s like taking 9,349 cars off the road for one year!
Integrated recycling and composting efforts could double Rhode Island landfill’s lifetime through 2049.

Benefits of compost

Compost can replenish poor soil and replace harmful fertilizer used to grow the food we eat.
Reduces household waste.
Cuts down harmful climate pollution that is created from food waste decaying in landfills.
Can slow the flow of storm water which helps prevent flooding and water contamination.
Helps decrease municipal waste costs.
Own a business? Composting food scraps can help reduce costs associated with waste management.

COMPOSTING IN PROVIDENCE

DIY Backyard Composting

CLICK HERE for everything you need to know about backyard composting

The ideal place to make compost is your own backyard or outdoor area.

You can purchase a compost bin from the Department of Public Works or Rhode Island Resource Recovery, or build your own using low cost materials. Search “DIY compost bins” on Google or YouTube for helpful tips.

HANDY TIP: worried about pests and smell? Follow these steps for a happy, rat-free, odorless compost pile

Indoor Composting Using Worms

CLICK HERE for a step-by-step guide on vermicompost

You can compost indoors using worms (vermicomposting)! A special type of worm called the “red wiggler” (Elsenia fetida) eat their weight in organic matter each day and digest food scraps to create nutrient-rich compost.

Food Waste Composting: drop off locations & curbside pickup services

Can’t compost at home, but want to do something with your food scraps? Are you a restaurant or business with large amounts of food waste? You can call a service to pick up your kitchen waste, or you can drop off food waste at various composting depots across the city. This ensures your unused food will go towards healthy growth, rather than rotting in Rhode Island’s landfill.

HANDY TIP: collect household foodscraps in an airtight countertop container and keep in the freezer in between collection/drop off days. No smell, no fruit flies!

Food Scrap Pick Up Services

Bootstrap Compost
Harvest Cycle – Groundwork RI
The Compost Plant (restaurant & commercial pickup)
Black Earth Compost
Epic Renewal

Food Scrap Drop Off Locations

MAP: Food Scrap Drop Off Locations

NOTE: The City of Providence does not endorse any one service or business. If you know of other services or drop off locations to add to the list, please email

Providence Restaurants Closing the Loop with Compost

Composting helps restaurants reduce their carbon footprint and saves restaurants money. According to a 2014 study, about 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted globally each year, and around 40% of that comes from restaurants. However, recent research suggests that the average benefit-cost ratio for food waste reduction programs in restaurants was 7:1 over a three-year time frame, meaning that $7 could be recovered for every $1 invested.

This list was sourced from the Zero Waste Providence 100×2020 initiative. Know of any other restaurants that compost? Tell us at and we will add to the list.