Drop In The Bucket Composting Program

BEC, community partners and dedicated volunteers collect household food waste and compost it at our community garden for gardeners to use.

Our Drop in the Bucket program regularly diverts nearly 1,200 lbs of food waste each month.

By keeping this waste out of the landfill, we are cutting back on our methane emissions and promoting a circular food loop. Through these efforts we hope to encourage sustainability in our community, provide nutritious compost to gardens, and reduce the amount of waste going into the landfill.

Due to limited capacity at this time, we are pausing new signups for Chico, at this time. Once we process the food scraps in our compost bays, we will reopen it again to the public.

Want to support us? Click HERE for the donation link or sign up to volunteer!

Now available in Gridley!

FAQs

  • We focus on household food scraps, mainly fruits and vegetables. Coffee grounds, tea bags and grains are also accepted.

    We do not accept meat or dairy products, plastic and packaging, or hazardous waste. We ask that you limit the amount of cooked foods and breads.

    Paper products that are not bleached or saturated with ink can be accepted in small quantities. In addition, organic compounds like hair and dryer lint can be composted as well.

  • Yes! If you would like to bring your bucket to the garden on your own we can arrange that. Just fill out our registration form and we will contact you shortly there after.

  • Pickups in the Chico area happen weekly on Monday between 8am and 8pm.

    We ask residents to leave their bucket out in a visible and accessible place during this time.

  • BEC is a nonprofit so we do not ask for payment. However, donations can be made online that go back toward running this program.

    Donation Link: bit.ly/drop-it-bucket

  • We understand that life happens! If you missed a pick-up and need one urgently, email sutinability@becnet.org and we can get one scheduled for you. Additionally, if you know you won’t need a pick-up on a Monday, please let sustainability@becnet.org know ahead of time.

We want to hear from you!

For more about the survey, what it hopes to accomplish, and information about BEC’s relationship with the Butte Compost Coalition, check out the story that KRCR did here.

Fill out the Butte Compost Coalition’s survey, regardless of how much you know about compost, to help us assess what county composting will look like in the future.

If you are a homeowner or backyard composter, please fill out this survey here.

If you represent a compost organization or other organization, please fill out this survey here.