service details & faqs

How does this service work? 

Reclaimed Organics (RO) offers weekly collection of compostable material to offices and some small businesses in Manhattan neighborhoods south of 75th Street, east to west.

Pickups will be on the same day of the week each week, depending on your neighborhood. Pickups are generally between 10 AM - 3 PM. 

Each week, on the day before your scheduled pickup, you will receive a reminder text message at 10 AM. You can SKIP your pickup by replying to the text or you can log into our Customer Portal.

You will receive an email when the pickup is complete. 

What is the collection area? 

Manhattan only, south of 75th Street, east to west, and all the way south to Battery Park.

How do I get started?

Email Reclaimed Organics at info@reclaimedorganics.org. You can find helpful questions here to put in your initial outreach email. RO will contact you for any additional details, and arrange your service agreement, pick up day, and infrastructure needs. You will be invited to sign up for our Customer Portal, as well, giving you access to your diversion metrics.

Is there a contract?

RO requires you to sign a Service Agreement before we can start collecting your organic waste. This agreement outlines service expectations, payment terms and liability issues. It is NOT a binding contract. You may cancel service at any time with no penalty.

What sort of container should I use? 

RO will deliver a SimpleHuman, stainless steel bin (or a 5-gallon bucket depending on your program needs), when we come by for your first pickup. Please always use the bins and buckets provided by RO unless other infrastructure has been previously agreed upon.

What can I put in the bin?

  • Fruit & veggies, egg shells, coffee grounds & filters, tea bags, plant waste & dirt, meat, bones, and dairy are all OK

  • Compostable serviceware, PLA (compostable plastic), cutlery are OK

  • Frozen or loose materials are OK

  • Please chop plant material and twigs into two-inch bits

  • Oils, animal waste and sanitary products are NOT OK

Is this a paid service? 

Yes, this is a paid service. Refer to your specific Reclaimed Organics contract for your one-time and recurring fee(s). NY sales tax is additional. Extra material outside of your bucket is also additional, priced depending on quantity at a rate agreed upon by all parties. All pickups will be billed monthly. Terms are NET 15 days. 

On the first of each month, you will receive an itemized invoice based on the number of bins collected (plus any additional fees as noted above) in the previous month.

Billing is per service. For example, if you have 4 pickups in the month of May, your invoice at the end of May will be $100 + tax.

How can I pay?

We accept credit cards, checks or ACH payments. There is a PAY NOW link on each invoice. You must pay manually each month. All invoices are NET 15 days. If you send checks, please remit to: 

Common Ground Compost, 32  3rd Ave, #173, NY, NY 10003

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Can’t I just drop off my organic waste directly at the garden?

No, we cannot accept drop-offs at this time. There are other drop-off sites available in many neighborhoods. Here’s a link. 

What if I don’t live in the Reclaimed Organics’ collection zone? 

Here are a few other options for compost microhaulers in NYC:

What about odors? If I get less frequent collection won’t my food scraps smell bad? 

They might smell a bit, so always close the bag inside the bucket and make sure the lid is sealed tightly. We also suggest lining your bucket with a paper bag, then placing the compostable bag inside that. Paper will absorb the liquid and reduce odors.

Can I have some of the finished compost?

Whenever finished compost becomes available, we’ll let you know!

Do you provide diversion metrics?

Yes! Our haulers weigh your bucket at each pickup. You will receive an email with your daily stats and you can always log on to the Customer Portal to check your  running total. 

Thank you for composting!