The city launched a free curbside food scrap collection pilot program Tuesday in partnership with 11th Hour Racing, Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District and Black Earth Compost.
The two-year program runs from Oct. 5, 2025, to Oct. 2, 2027, and offers 1,500 eligible Newport residents free weekly compost collection valued at $149.99 annually, plus a curbside bin starter kit worth $36.
Participants will receive instructions on composting, a free cubic foot bag of finished compost each spring and an online account to manage their service.
To qualify for the pilot program, residents must live in Newport year-round and be able to place the provided compost bin at the street curb. Residents in multi-unit buildings with limited street access should contact Black Earth Compost at service@blackearthcompost.com to confirm service availability.
Black Earth Compost accepts a wide range of materials, including meat, bones, dairy and food-soiled paper products like napkins and certified compostable serviceware — items typically not suitable for backyard composting. The company’s motto is: “If it grows, it goes in the green bin.”
Composting can divert up to 30% of household trash from landfills. Black Earth mixes food scraps with leaves and sticks to create nutrient-rich compost for local farms, community gardens and residential use.
“This free composting pilot program is a practical step toward Newport becoming a model for coastal sustainability,” said Michelle Carnevale, president of 11th Hour Racing. “It is true that lasting environmental change starts locally, and this program gives residents a tangible way to be part of the solution. This initiative not only benefits the environment but also reinforces Rhode Island’s leadership in climate resilience.”
Sara Churgin, executive director of Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District, said the program addresses rising solid waste costs.
“Newport, like other municipalities in RI, is facing unprecedented increases in the cost of our solid waste removal,” Churgin said. “Diverting food waste is an important part of that effort. Newport pays for waste removal based on a per ton rate, so programs that help reduce solid waste tonnage result in savings and they also benefit the environment.”
Residents can enroll in the pilot program at https://blackearthcompost.com/newport.