The City of Hoboken is offering free commercial organic waste collection service to commercial and industrial establishments with support from Community Compost Company. The City will collect organic waste from local businesses and haul it to a Community Compost Company facility in the Hudson Valley.

This agreement details how to participate in the business composting program, as well as the rules, terms, and conditions for participation.

Please contact David Calamoneri at dcalamoneri@hobokennj.gov or 201.420.2000 x4000 with any questions. 

Process for Participating in the Business Composting Program

1. Business Survey. The business owner or manager shall take the business survey, available at www.hobokennj.gov/compost, to tell the City about the its current waste disposal operations, understanding of composting, and interest in participating in a composting program.
2. Phone Discussion. City staff shall contact the owner or manager to review the composting program and answer questions. If the business is interested in participating, City staff shall help the business to assess its volume of compostable materials, and determine the appropriate number of bins/frequency of collection service.
3. Registration. The business shall register for free compost collection service by completing the following agreement, available at www.hobokennj.gov/compost.
4. Training. City staff shall visit the business for a free training session with the manager and key staff to review: what materials are compostable, how to separate compostable materials, where the bins/signage should be located inside and stored outside the business, when the bins will be collected, and why composting is important to Hoboken.
5. Composting. The business shall collect organic waste for composting and ensure no contamination; the City shall collect organic waste from the business’s curbside, examine waste for contamination, and haul it to the Community Compost Company facility.
6. Monitoring. The business shall track the volume of organic waste disposed of with the curbside compost collection program, report that volume monthly by completing the reporting log, available at www.hobokennj.gov/compost.

Rules, Terms, and Conditions for Participation in the Business Composting Program

Definitions

As used in this agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BINS

Shall include any receptacles used for the disposal of designated compostable, recyclable, or solid waste materials.

CITY OF HOBOKEN

Shall include the municipal corporation, its officers and employees, and any authorized agent.

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS (“Establishment”)

Includes all public or private business entities, including but not limited to those manufacturing, retailing and/or service establishments; food establishments in business for the purpose of consumption, on or off premises, as well as food distribution and/or processing; and professional and/or nonprofit or for-profit incorporated entities.

COMPOSTING

A process by which organic materials are turned into humus (similar to topsoil).

DESIGNATED COMPOSTABLE MATERIALS

Includes food items such as: fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bones, grains, legumes, eggs and shells, coffee grounds. Includes paper items such as: coffee filters, food-soiled paper, uncoated paper plates, tea bags, and paper towels. Does not include food items cooked in oil, fat, or grease. Does not include non-food items such as: plastic, “compostable plastics,” metal, glass, Styrofoam, liquids, coated paper, chemicals, frozen food boxes, produce stickers, staples in tea bags, and waxed cardboard.

DESIGNATED SOLID WASTE MATERIALS

Includes all materials not classified herein as compostable materials or recyclable materials.

DESIGNATED RECYCLABLE MATERIALS

Includes all materials designated in the Hudson County District Solid Waste Management Plan and/or the municipality to be source separated from the solid waste stream for the purpose of recycling. These materials are aluminum, tin and steel; corrugated cardboard; glass containers; grass and brush; household batteries; leaves; masonry (asphalt, brick, block and concrete); mixed paper; motor oil; motor oil filters; newspaper; office paper; plastic containers (Nos. 1 through 7); tires; vehicle batteries; white goods; and wood.

RECYCLING

The process by which designated recyclable materials are separated, collected, processed and returned to the economic mainstream in the form of raw materials or products.

SOURCE

Any establishment within the City of Hoboken seeking to dispose of compostable materials, solid waste materials, and recyclable materials.

SOURCE SEPARATED

The process by which compostable or recyclable materials are separated from solid waste materials at the point of generation by the generator thereof for the purposes of composting or recycling.

As a commercial or industrial establishment participating in the City of Hoboken Business Composting Program, agrees to:

1. Assess the volume of organic waste produced per month, with support from the City of Hoboken.
2. Provide bins inside the establishment for disposal of designated compostable, recyclable, and solid waste materials. Bins shall be placed in convenient, apparent, and adjacent locations with clear signage indicating the acceptable materials to be disposed of in each bin.
3. Empty compostable materials from bins inside the establishment into green, labeled compost bins outside the establishment. Green, labeled compost bins shall not be filled more than 75%. Green, labeled compost bins must have a properly fitting lid, be access-resistant to insects and rodents and must be maintained in good working order at all times and must be kept in a clean and sanitary way (Hoboken Code §136-2).
4. Place 75% filled green, labeled compost bins provided by the City outside the establishment at the curb for disposal of designated compostable materials on collection day pursuant to the collection schedule in this agreement.
5. Place blue, labeled recycling bins or clear plastic bags outside the establishment at the curb for disposal of designated recyclable materials on collection day(s).
6. Place black or grey, labeled solid waste bins or black plastic bags outside the establishment at the curb for designated solid waste materials.
7. Provide education about compostable, recyclable, and solid waste materials that go in each bin to all employees, contractors, and janitors.
8. Request any changes to the collection schedule via email to dcalamoneri@hobokennj.gov two (2) weeks prior to the date on which the requested change shall begin. The City shall approve or deny the request via email within one (1) week of receipt.

The City of Hoboken, with support from Community Compost Company, agrees to:

1. Assist commercial and industrial establishments participating in the City of Hoboken Business Composting Program with assessing the volume of organic waste produced per month.
2. Provide one (1) free training session with the manager and key staff to review: what materials are compostable, how to separate compostable materials, where the bins/signage should be located inside and stored outside the business, when the bins will be collected, and why composting is important to Hoboken.
3. Provide green, labeled compost bins to be placed outside the establishment for disposal of designated compostable materials pursuant to the collection schedule in this agreement. All green, labeled compost bins are property of the City of Hoboken. Bins shall not be tampered with, disposed of, or sold.
4. Provide free commercial organic waste collection service pursuant to the collection schedule in this agreement. On the designated collection day, the 75% filled green, labeled compost bins placed outside the establishment at the curb shall be collected by the City and replaced with empty green, labeled compost bins.
5. Approve or deny requests for changes to the collection schedule via email within one (1) week of receipt.

Description of Bins for Collection	48-Gallon Green, Labeled Bins with wheels and lids (e.g., “Toters”)
Collection Frequency	Weekly (i.e., once per week)
Collection Day	Tuesday
Collection Time	Between 9 AM – 12 PM

Any changes to the collection schedule or volume must be requested by the Business via email to dcalamoneri@hobokennj.gov at least two (2) weeks prior to the date on which the requested change shall begin. The City shall approve or deny the request via email within one (1) week of receipt.

Failure to Comply with Rules, Terms, and Conditions for Participation in the Business Composting Program

I understand that, as a commercial or industrial establishment participating in the City of Hoboken Business Composting Program, the City may terminate collection service at any time pursuant to the City’s discretion, for any reason, including breaking any rules, terms, and conditions of this Agreement.

Defense and Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Establishment shall, at its own expense, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City, its officers, and employees, from and against any and all claims, damages, penalties, loses, expenses or judgments, arising from injury or death to any person, property, or environmental damage, arising from this Agreement. The Establishment will, at its own costs and expense, defend any and all such suits, actions, or claims, whether just or unjust, which may be brought against the City, its officers, agents, and employees, or in which it or they may be impleaded with others. Such obligation of indemnity and defense shall not be construed to negate nor abridge any other right of indemnification or contribution which may benefit

To be completed by Commercial or Industrial Establishment: