Resources

How it Works

sign-up online

Choose the membership that's right for your home or business.

receive a bucket

We'll deliver your first bucket on the first Wednesday following sign-up.

fill it up

Add your food scraps throughout the week—including fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, coffee grounds, and more.

set it at the curb

Place your bucket outside before your scheduled pickup. We'll swap it with a freshly cleaned one every visit.

we turn it to soil

Your food scraps become nutrient-rich compost that supports healthier soil

returned to you

You get back finished compost every Spring!

What can I compost?

Kitchen Scraps‍ : ‍

Fruits & Vegetables

✓ Fruit scraps, peels, rinds, & cores

✓ Vegetable peels, ends, and scraps

✓ Citrus peels (oranges, lemons, limes)

✓ Onion peels and garlic skins

✓ Corn husks and cobs

✓ Potato peels

✓ Banana peels

✓ Avocado pits and skins

✓ Wilted or spoiled produce

Shells & Nuts

✓ Eggshells

✓ Nut shells (walnuts, pecans, etc.)

✓ Peanut shells

✓ Sunflower seed shells

Grains & Starches

✓ Bread (including moldy bread)

✓ Rice and pasta (cooked or uncooked)

✓ Cereal and oats

✓ Crackers and pretzels

✓ Pizza crust

✓ Tortillas and wraps

Protein, Dairy & Other

✓ Meat, poultry, & fish

✓ Bones

✓ Milk, cheese, yogurt (avoid liquid, it’s messy)

✓ Coffee grounds and filters

✓ Tea bags (remove staples if present)

✓ Loose tea leaves

✓ Paper napkins and paper towels (unbleached)

Yard Waste : ‍

Plant Material

✓ Leaves (fresh or dried)

✓ Small branches & twigs (under 1” diameter)

✓ Garden trimmings and prunings

✓ Dead or wilted flowers

✓ Houseplant trimmings

✓ Weeds (before they go to seed)

✓ Pine needles and cones

✓ Sawdust from untreated wood

Other Organic Material

✓ Cut flowers and floral arrangements

✓ Christmas trees (cut into small pieces)

✓ Pumpkins and gourds

✓ Hay and straw

Other Compostables :

Paper Products

✓ Unbleached paper napkins and towels

✓ Clean pizza boxes (remove any plastic)

✓ Paper egg cartons

✓ Brown paper bags

✓ Shredded newspaper (small amounts)

✓ Coffee filters

✓ Cardboard (not waxed or coated)

Miscellaneous

✓ Compostable bags

✓ Corks (real corks only)

✓ Cotton balls & cotton swabs

✓ Paper towels & tissues

✓ Toothpicks & chopsticks

What not to compost!

Common Household Items :

✗ Produce stickers

✗ Plastic sauce packets

✗ Plastic wrap

✗ Produce packaging

✗ Glass or aluminum

✗ Plastic bags

✗ Twist ties, rubber bands, tabs, or tags from produce

✗ Tape/labels on boxes

✗ Diapers

✗ Pet waste

✗ Human waste

✗ Plastic plant labels

✗ Plastic plant pits

✗ Plastic “window'“ in paper envelopes

✗ Cigarette butts

✗ Coal or charcoal ash

✗ Treated or painted wood

✗ Glossy or coated paper

✗ Dryer lint

✗ Vacuum contents

✗ Rubber

Contact Peake! We're happy to answer questions about specific items. Our detailed guide comes with your membership, and our team is always available to help you compost successfully.

WHEN IN DOUBT

General Rule: If it grew from the earth and isn't treated with chemicals, it can probably be composted!

ASP Composting System

Peake Compost operates a solar aerated static pile (ASP) composting system designed to process source-separated organic materials while meeting pathogen reduction and stabilization standards recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

  • Incoming source-separated organics are unloaded onto a carbon base layer where materials are inspected for contaminants. This area also serves as a temporary holding area for feedstocks. At the end of each operating day, the material is covered with a carbon cap to reduce odors and deter vectors. Because the holding material is turned daily, microbial activity often begins during this stage and the composting process may begin before materials are incorporated into the aerated static pile. When materials are moved from the holding area to the ASP, final adjustments are made to achieve correct porosity, target bulk density, and a moisture content to create optimal conditions for microbial activity.

  • To construct the aerated static pile, a twelve-inch bed of carbon material is first placed on the aeration area and the aeration pipe is installed. The blended organic material is then placed uniformly over the aeration pipe to form the compost pile.

  • Once constructed, two compost thermometers are inserted into the pile and temperatures are checked twice daily. Piles are managed to reach and maintain temperatures between 131°F and 160°F for a minimum of three consecutive days in accordance with the Process to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP) standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and recognized by the Maryland Department of the Environment. Operationally, Peake Compost aims to maintain thermophilic temperatures for approximately seven days, or as long as possible, to ensure consistent pathogen reduction.

  • During the thermophilic phase, moisture levels, aeration rates, and other conditions are monitored and adjusted as needed to maintain optimal composting conditions.

  • When pile temperatures no longer rise and begin to decline, the compost is moved to the curing stage. During curing, piles are monitored for temperature and moisture and manually turned as needed until internal temperatures approach ambient conditions.

  • Once curing is complete, compost is screened through a one-half inch screen to remove oversized materials. Overs are returned to the holding feedstock area where they serve as a microbial inoculant, helping seed incoming material and accelerate decomposition for future compost batches.

  • Finished compost is then made available for use in gardens, landscaping, and local soil-building efforts, supporting nutrient recycling and soil health within the community.

getting started

  • Item description

  • Item description

service

  • Most fruits and vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, eggshells, bread, grains, coffee grounds, tea bags (without plastic), paper towels, napkins, pizza boxes, and certified compostable products.

  • Plastic, glass, metal, produce stickers, pet waste, diapers, liquids, cooking oil, and compostable products that are not BPI-certified.

  • Not nearly as much as people expect. Keeping the lid closed and storing your bucket in a shaded area helps significantly. Weekly service is recommended if you regularly compost meat and seafood.

  • Anywhere that's convenient. Indoors, outdoors. Next to your trash can, beside the garage, under a porch, or outdoors in the shade.

  • Simply place your bucket curbside before your scheduled pickup day. We'll swap it for a cleaned bucket every visit.

  • No. We wash and sanitize every bucket after each collection.

  • No. We operate on a clean bucket exchange system.

  • Residential members receive a 7-gallon bucket designed for weekly kitchen scraps. We also have 35 gallon and 65 gallon.

  • Contact us. Depending on your needs, we may recommend weekly service or an additional bucket.

  • We'll drop a clean bucket and collect both during your next scheduled pickup.

  • We collect rain or shine unless severe weather creates unsafe road conditions.

concerns

  • A closed lid and regular pickups prevent most pest issues. Freezing meat scraps until pickup day during the summer can help even more.

  • Our buckets have secure lids that deter most animals. Keeping the bucket in a protected area until pickup day is recommended.

  • Fresh food scraps generally don't smell much. Food sitting in a landfill produces far more odor than properly managed compost.

  • Not quite. Instead of burying food waste in a landfill, we turn it into nutrient-rich compost that benefits local soil.

  • Yes. Food waste is one of the largest materials sent to landfills. Composting keeps those nutrients in circulation instead of creating methane.

  • No worries. We remove contaminants whenever possible and use them as educational opportunities—not reasons to shame members.

  • Never. Compost is collected separately and processed specifically for compost production. We do not pick up trash!

  • Absolutely. That's actually where commercial composting has one of its biggest advantages over backyard composting.

  • Most members say it's much cleaner than they expected because they receive a freshly washed bucket every pickup.

environmental

  • Nearly one-third of all food produced is wasted. Composting keeps valuable nutrients in circulation instead of sending them to landfills.

  • Yes—but how it breaks down matters. In landfills, food decomposes without oxygen, creating methane, a greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide.

  • Food scraps are transformed into finished compost used to improve local soils.

  • Yes. Every spring, members are invited to our Annual Compost Day where they receive a portion of the finished compost. Additional compost is available for purchase at a discounted member rate while supplies last.

  • After members have had the opportunity to claim theirs, remaining compost is sold to the public or donated to community gardens and green spaces.

  • Many households divert hundreds of pounds of food waste from landfills every year.

  • It adds organic matter, improves water retention, reduces erosion, and supports healthier plant growth.

  • They serve different purposes. Compost builds healthy soil over time, while fertilizers primarily provide nutrients.

  • Yes. Members receive regular updates showing the amount of food waste they've diverted and the environmental impact they've made.

billing & membership

  • No long-term contract. Stay because you love the service—not because you're locked in.

  • Yes.

  • Absolutely. Perfect for vacations or extended travel.

  • To keep membership prices as affordable as possible, card processing fees are passed through at checkout. ACH payments avoid these fees.

  • Yes. Just let us know in the Member Center.

  • Memberships renew monthly.

  • We'll notify you and give you an opportunity to update your payment method before service is interrupted.

  • Yes! Compost memberships make thoughtful gifts for gardeners, new homeowners, and environmentally minded friends.

  • Yes. Once enough households join within the same neighborhood, everyone benefits from more efficient routes and discounted pricing.