Methuen’s New Curbside Composting Program Is Taking Preregistrations

Methuen has opened preregistration for a new paid curbside food-scrap collection service, but pickup will not begin until enough Methuen households sign up.

The city is partnering with Black Earth Compost on the program, which will offer weekly and every-other-week collection. Each participating household will receive a free city-provided starter kit with a curbside compost cart and certified compostable liners.

What the service will cost

Residents who choose weekly collection will pay $21.99 per month or $119.99 for six months. Every-other-week collection will cost $16.99 per month or $94.99 for six months.

Methuen says collection rates will decrease for all subscribers as participation increases. The city has not published the enrollment tiers or schedule that would determine when those lower rates take effect, so future prices should not be treated as guaranteed amounts.

The city says Black Earth Compost accepts fruits and vegetables, meat, bones, seafood, dairy products, eggshells, coffee grounds, food-soiled paper and certified compostable products, among other materials. Products labeled compostable must meet the certifications listed on the city’s program page.

Preregistration does not mean service has already started, and the city has not announced a collection start date. Collection remains contingent on receiving sufficient preregistration.

A two-year pilot

Minutes from the Methuen City Council’s March 2, 2026, meeting describe the initiative as a subscription-based, two-year pilot conducted with Black Earth Compost. The record sets a goal of enrolling 1,000 Methuen households. That figure is a pilot target, not a report that 1,000 households have signed up.

The council record says Methuen’s curbside trash totaled 14,709 tons in calendar year 2025, down 28.4% from 20,536 tons in 2021. The city’s recycling rate rose from 11.7% in 2021 to 19.2% in 2025, according to the same record.

Methuen’s March meeting record says food waste makes up approximately 20% of household trash. The city’s program materials also say participating households could divert up to 40% of their trash from landfills and incinerators. Those are estimates and are not measured results from this new service.

What residents should know

Methuen residents can preregister through the city’s composting program page, which directs residents to the Black Earth Compost enrollment process. The immediate step is enrollment; the unresolved next step is whether participation reaches the level needed to trigger collection.

The service is optional and carries a separate charge from regular municipal trash and recycling services. Participating households will receive the city-provided cart and liners. The city also says participating households will receive each spring a voucher for one free one-cubic-foot bag of finished compost, redeemable at participating local garden centers.

Methuen opened preregistration on July 13, 2026. Until sufficient household participation is reached, the program remains in the preregistration phase.

Sources

• Methuen Opens Preregistration for New Curbside Composting Program