In September 2024, we brought a new sustainability feature to the 3rd floor pantry at The Mill at Market West: a fully automated food recycler, fittingly named Mill.
This machine is part of our ongoing commitment to reducing waste and supporting eco-friendly practices. Instead of sending food scraps to landfills, the Mill composting bin turns food scraps into nutrient-rich material that helps farmers and feeds chickens across the country. It’s our way of using technology to make a positive environmental impact—one banana peel at a time.
But here’s the deal: our Mill bin is currently out of commission due to misuse. Despite the signage on and around the machine, we’ve continued to find plastic, cardboard, and other non-compostable items inside.
These materials don’t just interfere with the composting process. They can actually damage the internal mechanism, forcing us to shut the bin down for maintenance.
Let’s work together to get Mill back in action and keep our composting program running smoothly. Here’s what you need to know—what goes in the bin and what should stay out:
What to toss in the Mill Composting Bin?
Fruits, veggies, rinds, and pits
Meat, dairy, and eggs
Small bones (chicken, fish)
Coffee grounds and filters
What to keep out and throw away in the trash?
Plastic bags, wrappers, or packaging
Paper towels, napkins, or cardboard
Large bones (beef, lamb, pork)
Liquids, grease, or moldy food
Flowers, houseplants, medications, or compostable plastics
If it’s not listed on the approved signage, please place it in the regular trash cans nearby.
We’re proud to offer composting at Market West and love the small impact we can make together by keeping food waste out of landfills. But it only works when we all use the bin as intended.
Thank you for helping us do our part to support farmers, reduce waste, and build a more sustainable workplace—one peel at a time.
Looking to compost at home? Mill—the food recycler we use on the 3rd floor—offers helpful resources on their blog.
