Chickadee and the Town of Deer Isle Bringing Compost to Town Residents

Chickadee Compost and the Town of Deer Isle have announced a partnership to offer food scrap composting for all Deer Isle residents. Starting March 3rd, 2026 the Deer Isle Transfer Station will have compost collection bins installed for the collection of household food scraps. Household participation is encouraged but not mandatory.

All food is accepted, including meat, seafood, shells, and dairy. Paper towels, napkins, and paper bags are accepted. Participating households are required to remove all produce stickers, twist ties, rubber bands, plastic, metal, and any other garbage from their food scraps. Compostable plastics are also not accepted.

Chickadee Compost has composted over a million pounds of food scraps from across Hancock County since 2022 at their commercially licensed compost facility in Surry. Chickadee Compost partners with schools, hospitals, food businesses, nonprofits, and households to turn food scraps into high quality compost. Chickadee Compost sells finished compost across the county in the spring and fall.

The Town of Deer Isle is the first town in Hancock County to establish a food scrap composting service at their Transfer Station. Chickadee Compost and the Town of Deer Isle have partnered to compost crab waste since 2022.

Diverting food scraps from the solid waste stream is essential for reducing local carbon and methane emissions, reducing reliance on the only landfill serving our area, and turning “waste” into a valuable and locally produced soil amendment.