Mill and Compost Crew are teaming up to make it easier for DMV residents to keep food scraps out of the trash and put them to good use locally.
Purchase a Mill to dry and grind your food scraps overnight so they don't smell or spoil, then add local pickup service through Compost Crew directly, where your food scraps will be used to cultivate local soil.
This article covers common questions about the Mill + Compost Crew partnership. If you don't find an answer to your question, use the search bar in the top right of this page to search for other Mill Support articles, or reach out to our Support team at support@mill.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. If you need to reach out to Compost Crew support, please email info@compostcrew.com.
Am I within the service area to get Compost Crew pickups?
You can go to mill.com/compostcrew and proceed to checkout. In that process you’ll be asked to submit your address and be informed of whether or not you are in the service area. If you make it to the check out screen, you’re good to sign up!
Compost Crew local pickup service is available to Mill owners and renters in select DMV areas. To sign up visit https://customers.compostcrew.com/forms/pickups-for-mill-owners/. The Mill bin ships anywhere in the contiguous 48 US states regardless of Compost Crew availability.
For Compost Crew service availability you can check your zip code against the list below:
- Washington, DC: 20001, 20002, 20003, 20004, 20005, 20006, 20007, 20008, 20009, 20010, 20011, 20012, 20015, 20016, 20017, 20018, 20019, 20024, 20036, 20037
- Silver Spring, MD: 20902, 20903, 20904, 20906, 20907, 20908, 20910, 20911, 20912, 20914, 20915, 20916, 20918
- Bethesda / Chevy Chase / Kensington, MD: 20814, 20815, 20816, 20817, 20895
- Rockville, MD: 20847, 20848, 20849, 20850, 20851, 20852, 20877
- Baltimore City & County, MD: 21201, 21202, 21208, 21211, 21212, 21213, 21214, 21215, 21217, 21218, 21222, 21223, 21224, 21225, 21227, 21230, 21231, 21234
- Towson, MD: 21204, 21286
- Alexandria, VA: 22301, 22302, 22303, 22304, 22305, 22307, 22308, 22309, 22311, 22314, 22315
- Fairfax, VA: 22003, 22031
What if Compost Crew isn't available in my area?
You can still buy and use the Mill bin anywhere in the contiguous US (48 states). Your Food Grounds are dry and odorless, so you can use them in your own garden, share them with a neighbor, or add them to yard waste. We're working with Compost Crew to expand the service area, so check back as coverage grows.
What is included with the Mill bin and the Compost Crew pickup add-on?
Mill bin purchase includes:
- Mill Plus food recycler
- One carbon filter
- Three year limited warranty coverage
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Dedicated support from Mill
Compost Crew pickup service (available to Mill owners and renters in select DMV areas) includes:
- Monthly or every-other-month curbside pickup
- Pickup reminders before service days
- Access to finished compost once a year by request
How much does the Compost Crew pickup service cost?
Compost Crew pickups are available at two frequencies:
- $9.99/month for every-other-month pickups
- $14.99/month for monthly pickups
Can I sign up for this if I live in a multi-family dwelling?
Yes. However, please keep in mind that having Compost Crew collect your Food Grounds requires that you have an outdoor location at or near the curb where you can leave the container of Food Grounds outside in your Compost Crew Bucket for collection each month.
Your scheduled pickup with Compost Crew
Once you have your Compost Crew Bucket and your account setup, you can view your upcoming service dates by logging in here. You will also receive service reminders one day prior to your pickup date.
If you have any questions about your Compost Crew Bucket delivery, please reach out to Compost Crew at info@compostcrew.com.
How do I add Compost Crew pickups?
Once you've purchased your Mill, visit customers.compostcrew.com/forms/pickups-for-mill-owners/ to sign up for local pickup service. This is available to Mill owners and renters in select DMV areas.
Can I add pickups at checkout?
No. Compost Crew pickup service is purchased separately through Compost Crew directly. Visit customers.compostcrew.com/forms/pickups-for-mill-owners/ after purchasing your Mill bin to sign up.
How big is the Mill Plus?
The bin is about the size of a standing trash can. The exact dimensions are:
- Height: 27.2 in
- With lid clearance: 37.5 in
- Width: 16.6 in
- Depth: 13.8 in
What can go in the Mill?
As a general rule of thumb, if it comes off your cutting board or plate, you can Mill it!
Here are some examples:
- Small bones (like chicken or fish)
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Rinds, peels, pits
- Meat, dairy, eggs
- Coffee grounds
Things that don't belong in the bin:
- Large bones (like beef, lamb, or pork)
- Hard shells
- Large amounts of liquid, grease, or oil
- Large amounts of sugar, cake, or cookies
- Large amounts of fibrous or starchy material that aren't cut up into smaller pieces beforehand (e.g. corn husks, artichokes)
- Houseplants or flowers
- Drugs or medicine
- Compostable plastics, packaging
- Take-out containers, paper plates
- Moldy meat
- Questionable leftovers (if they're more mold-than-food, it shouldn't go in)
Things that don't belong in the Mill or your Compost Crew bin:
- Large amounts of liquid, grease, or oil
- Pet waste
- Drugs or medicine
For an extensive list of what can and can't go into the bin, use Mill's Food Library (Library tab) in the Mill app. The app does not show what can go in your Compost Crew bin yet, so if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to info@compostcrew.com.
What do I do with the organic material that can't go in the Mill bin?
Organic material that Compost Crew accepts but Mill does not (like large bones or food-soiled paper) can go directly in your Compost Crew Bucket for pickup.
What happens if non-acceptable material accidentally gets in my Food Grounds or Compost Crew bucket?
Your Mill's app includes the Food Library where you can learn what can and can't go in, and Compost Crew has its own "what's compostable" guide that's also helpful. If non-acceptable materials do end up in the Food Grounds, there are processes at the different composting facilities to keep these materials out of the finished compost.
How is the bin different from home composting devices?
Composting is a form of biological digestion that breaks down organic material and takes weeks or months, not hours or days. While some products use the word “composting,” true composting takes time. Mill is a food recycler, not a composting device. The Food Grounds that come out of the bin are still food, minus the water, bulk, odor, and ick. The Mill is designed to conserve all the potential in your kitchen scraps, not break them down, so they can have a second life.
How often will the Mill bin need to be emptied?
The Mill shrinks down your food by 80% so it needs to be emptied very infrequently. For most families, it takes up to a month before the bin needs to be emptied. When your Mill is full, you'll see a blinking green LED and receive a notification.
What to do with your Food Grounds and how to prepare for pickup day
Your bin should fill up about once a month. You can empty your Food Grounds into the Compost Crew provided bin that you receive around the same time as your Mill. The Compost Crew bin can accommodate 4-5 empties (it has a 7 gallon capacity) in case your Mill fills up before your pickup day. The day before your pickup, you'll receive an email and/or text message from Compost Crew and you can leave your Compost Crew bin by your curb to be emptied.
Can I keep my Food Grounds?
Yes. You're welcome to keep your Food Grounds and use them as a chicken feed ingredient, or turn them into compost. Learn more here. For any Food Grounds or organic material that you don't use, Compost Crew will pick it up in your Compost Crew Bucket.
What happens to my Food Grounds after pickup?
Your grounds go to local farms and compost facilities in the DMV. As a Compost Crew pickups member, you can also receive a share of finished compost delivered back to you once a year. Log into your Compost Crew account here to request, as well email info@compostcrew.com with any questions.
What to do if you forget to put your bucket out on pickup day
Email Compost Crew at info@compostcrew.com.
Are there drop off sites where I can swap my buckets?
Unfortunately at this time we do not have any drop off sites.
Can I get compost back from Compost Crew?
Yes! You can receive a share of finished compost delivered back to you once a year, or purchase bags of finished compost from the Compost Crew account portal — log in here.
Pausing or canceling service temporarily
If you've purchased your bin and have Compost Crew pickups separately, please reach out to info@compostcrew.com and the team will answer any questions. If you have a Mill x Compost Crew rental plan, you cannot pause your service.
Can I just buy the bin?
Yes. Purchase the Mill at https://www.mill.com/. After checkout, Mill owners and renters in the DMV can add local pickups through Compost Crew directly at customers.compostcrew.com/forms/pickups-for-mill-owners/.
Moving to a new location within the service area
No problem! Update your address with Compost Crew by emailing info@compostcrew.com.
Tracking your impact with Mill + Compost Crew
At this time, you will not receive any impact reports, but you can track your impact in the Mill app Impact tab.
What happens to this service during extreme weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snowstorms?
It is business as usual, unless you are notified otherwise directly from Compost Crew. If your pickup day is moved due to extreme weather conditions, and your Compost Crew bin is full, you can empty your dried Food Grounds into any temporary container that has a seal / lid once they're fully cooled down after a cycle.
Billing
The Mill bin is a one-time purchase. If you add Compost Crew pickups, that service is billed monthly or nd managed directly through Compost Crew.
Electricity
The Mill uses about 0.7 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity per day on average. This is equivalent to a high efficiency dishwasher. For more information, see this article.
Long Dry & Grind cycle
It's common for your bin to take 3-8 hours to completely dry out your Food Grounds. See this article for more information on what can cause long Dry & Grind cycles. If you think that your bin is taking longer than it should, reach out to support@mill.com.
Smell
Your bin should be odorless. If it isn't, check out this article to help troubleshoot, or reach out to support@mill.com.
How often do I need to replace the Mill carbon filter and how much does it cost?
There is one carbon filter included with your Mill at purchase. Carbon filters typically last 10-12 months, but may expire sooner depending on use and what types of scraps you add. You can order a new filter in the Mill app > My Mill > Carbon Filter.
Noise
When the Mill is running a Dry & Grind cycle, the fans sound like white noise and are about as loud as a dishwasher (~44 dB). If you put in pits or bones, you might hear a quick, loud snap or clunk. Every now and then it might make a funny creak or groan as it mixes. The bin's fans run at a super low-energy speed throughout the day to help maintain a negative air pressure so that the bin stays smelling fresh.
Kid & Pet safety
See this article to learn about how to set up the Always locked setting.
Bin not working
You can search our support articles for troubleshooting support here. Or, reach out to support@mill.com and our Support team will work to resolve the issue you're experiencing.
Providing feedback
Mill sends periodic surveys, and would love for you to provide feedback there! You can also email Mill with feedback at support@mill.com.