How to Compost in Chicago

What I’ve learned from doing my part to compost in a city that doesn’t compost.

Introduction:

Before moving to Chicago from the Bay Area, I researched the city’s waste streams, and braced myself for the fact that composting isn’t a thing here. As a new resident of Chicago, I can confirm that not only is composting uncommon, people have to pay to compost. It’s wild.

Sharing What I’ve Learned:

What I have learned is that there is a learning curve to composting in Chicago, and perhaps I can reduce any knowledge barriers that are keeping you from composting in Chicago, by sharing what I’ve learned.

1. Keep your compost in the freezer. It eliminates fruit flies and stench.

2. If stored in a bag, compost needs to be stored in a compostable bag. Order yours here. Tip - Sometimes, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have compostable produce bags that you can reuse as your compost bag, But fingers crossed that you are bringing your own grocery and produce bags to the store!

3. In Chicago, you get to research and pick the private company or nonprofit that will manage your compost. Pick the service that is most sustainable to your lifestyle. Here are some considerations:

   • proximity to compost drop-off location;

   • drop-off fee;

   • pick-up fee;

   • volume of compost your household generates - a household of two easily generates 5+ gallons in a month;

   • weight of your compost - if you’re dropping it off, you must be able to carry it;

   • how weather impacts your commitment to drop-off - walking in the snow with your monthly compost might be hard;

   • and if you have the space and resources to compost at your own home for free.

4. Someone has made a map of compost drop-off sites in Chicago. It’s great, check it out!

5. Here is a a list of non-profits and companies that can help manage your compost:

• Green City Market

  • Drop off at farmers’ markets around Chicago

• The Urban Canopy

  • Drop-off at Farmers Market around Chicago

  • Pick-up services available

• The Dill Pickle Food Co-Op

  • Drop-off at 2746 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

• Healthy Soil Compost

  • Pick-up services available

• Block Bins

  • Pick-up services available

• Collective Resource Compost

  • Pick-up services available in these zones

• WasteNot Compost

  • Pick-up services available in these zones

Conclusion:

It is puzzling and sad that in 2021, a large metropolitan city in the United States doesn’t have the infrastructure it needs to manage compost at the city level. It’s also concerning that the City’s 2021 Waste Strategy doesn’t have a sense of urgency to find a scalable solution to composting. So there’s that.

When it comes to doing our part for our warming planet, you do what you can. Composting in Chicago is possible, it just isn’t free or always convenient.

I went with dropping off a 5 gallon bin for $5 at The Urban Canopy. Though I have never paid for compost in the past, it’s part of my operating budget, and I set aside $5-10/month towards dropping off my compost. Winter is coming, and I do think this will impact my ability and enthusiasm to drop-off, and so I’m hoping to get a building wide compost program going so that we can share a 35 gallon bin that gets picked up every month. More on that to come…

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Update:

Farmer Markets in Chicago follow special winter schedules and so the original $5 drop off at The Urban Canopy is not an option. After hoarding compost in the freezer for many weeks and sadly tossing a few batches of frozen compost, we’ve mobilized and will be using Urban Canopy’s twice a month pick-up service for $25.