Frequently Asked Questions

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What is organics recycling?

Organics recycling is taking recycling to a whole new level! This process involves recycling anything that was once alive- into compost! 

Similar to other recycling practices, Eau Claire residents now have the choice to separate and recycle their organic material from their home; AKA Curbside Composting. We've designed the program to be EASY for subscribers and give you all you need to get started. 

Wondering what we accept for Organics? Many are surprised to hear we accept ALL FOOD WASTE (except for bones) as well as yard waste (all year round!) and other compostable items. See our Complete list of what is/isn't compostable with Earthbound. 

What can I compost with Earthbound?

Please see our Complete list of what is/isn't compostable with Earthbound, broken down by room of your home.

We'd love to connect if you have questions on products in your home or business, and whether or not they can be composted! Give us a shout--office@earthboundenviro.com

How should I prepare for Curbside Composting?

Organics collection is simple and easy. Using a collection container of your choice and your Earthbound compostable bags, you can effortlessly separate your organic material from your regular garbage. When your Earthbound bags are full, simply tie the handles securely and place in your organics/garbage curbside receptacle, right on top of your bagged garbage. Please note that your Earthbound compostable bag and regular garbage bags will be contained in the same curbside receptacle for collection. We will do the sorting for you! 

Composting tips – We asked you for your composting tips and here was what we heard!

  • Fill up your Earthbound bag completely to make the most of your free bag supply!
  • Store your organic material in a bucket (ie-ice cream pail) and then dump the material into your compostable bag when it's full. The feedback that we have gotten is that this dramatically cuts down on the number of bags used per week. In fact one subscriber shared that their household can fit 2-3 ice cream buckets into their bag each week!
  • Use one bag for your dry organics in your bathroom (tissues, cardboard q-tips, hair) allowing that to become full before you fill the rest of the bag with your food and other wet organics.
  • Vegetable and fruit materials should be chopped into smaller pieces as it is easier to store this material in a container in your kitchen when it is smaller sized. This will also help maximize your bag space! 
  • Have your compost pail near your cutting board when you are preparing meals so that the material can be easily transferred from the cutting board to the compost container.
  • Please note that your Earthbound compostable bags are meant to break down as they are made from corn. Material left in your bag for several days will start to decompose, along with the bag, and may result in leakage. This is to be expected, which is why many subscribers collect the material separately and then dump into their bag. 

If you have a subscriber tip, chances are someone (or many someone’s) could benefit from learning, so please share with us! Tips can be emailed to: office@earthboundenviro.com.

How do I get more green compostable Earthbound bags?

Earthbound makes organics recycling easy by offering a limited number of counter top compostable bags FREE to each subscriber, with each paid quarter *.

Additional bags are available for purchase (15 bags per pack) with requests needing to be received by the Friday prior to a new week, in order to ensure they are added to the route. 

Purchase packs are also available for pick-up at our office: 3194 London Rd. Eau Claire, WI 54701 (Monday - Friday, 8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.)

*Quarterly green bags are scheduled for delivery the week following the start of your new quarter (reference your most recent invoice for this information). Should your payment be received late, green bags may not make it on the schedule for delivery. We will make every effort to track late payments and bags due for delivery. Thank you for your understanding.  

**Want to purchase your own compostable bags? No problem! We're happy to accept compostable bags outside of those we offer, however, they must be marked either BPI Certified Compostable or meet ASTM 6400 standards to be collected with our service. 


How should I store my Earthbound Compostable Bags?

Earthbound's compostable bags are made from materials that may become brittle if stored in a warm or moist setting, so it is best to store them in a dry area where temperatures are neutral. 

Please be sure to use your bags routinely and in the order bundles are received. If bags are stored/saved over a long period of time this could result in bag integrity issues when organics are placed inside. 

Storing bags of organics in the refrigerator or freezer until your collection day will help keep them from breaking down. In the colder months, you might consider storing them in a garage, shed, etc....

How do I separate my organics from my regular garbage?

At Earthbound, we're here to make Organics Recycling easy! Visit the link here for a complete list of what is accepted for Organics. 

To get started, identify how you want to contain your organic waste. Many folks use a bucket with a lid, such as an ice cream pail. When this is full the material can then be dumped into your green Earthbound compostable bags! When your Earthbound bags are full, simply tie the handles securely and place in your organics/garbage curbside receptacle, right on top of your bagged garbage. We'll do the sorting at the curb.

Subscriber tips: 
- Refrigerate or freeze bucket of organic waste before dumping into your compostable bag. 
OR 
- Refrigerate or freeze bag of organics after organic waste is dumped into it.

*Please note that green Earthbound compostable bags are made from corn and are meant to break down. Organic material should not sit in your bag for more than 3-4 days as breakdown may occur. 

Feeling crafty? Visit here for a fun DIY kitchen compost bucket: 
http://www.diynatural.com/kitchen-compost-bucket-diy-easy-and-frugal/

What does my traditional recycling service include?
  • Standard curbside recycling collection--SINGLE STREAM (no sorting necessary).
  • One receptacle is provided per household. If you would like to upgrade your recycling container, please contact our Office for additional information. 
Does Earthbound offer yard waste pick-up?

Seasonal yard waste is a thing of the past with Earthbound! Now your curbside service allows you the convenience of having yard waste pick up as part of your weekly collection, ALL YEAR ROUND! 

* Yard waste must be contained in a compostable bag (brown paper yard waste bags or ASTM6400 compostable bag) with no tape or ties utilized. 

* Any yard waste placed curbside in plastic bags will not be collected. 

* Any bags that are too heavy for our staff to safely lift will be left at the curb. 

* As always, any yard waste bag(s) that fit in your garbage/organics container (without being smashed in) will not incur an additional charge. 

* If more than 15 bags are placed out for collection, prepayment will be required no later than 3PM on the business day prior to collection by calling 715-952-5608.

* We do not accept treated grass, animal waste, animal bedding material, or dirt (including sod, lawn edging, dug up soil or soil from potted plants). Please do not put yard waste bags containing these materials at your curb as they will not be collected. 

Seasonal Yard Waste Info:

  • Seasonal yard waste collection occurs each Spring and Fall, which includes yard waste beyond what fits in your curbside receptacle. Please visit our Events Calendar for more information, or contact us at: office@earthboundenviro.com


NON SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION: 
Earthbound is happy to schedule and collect yard waste from non subscribers, which can be scheduled any time throughout the year. Pre-payment is required prior to scheduling collection.

* Yard waste must be contained in a compostable bag (brown paper yard waste bags or ASTM6400 compostable bag) with no tape or ties utilized. 

* Any yard waste placed curbside in plastic bags will not be collected. 

* Any bags that are too heavy for our staff to safely lift will be left at the curb. 

* We do not accept treated grass, animal waste, animal bedding material, or dirt (including sod, lawn edging, dug up soil or soil from potted plants). Please do not put yard waste bags containing these materials at your curb as they will not be collected. 

In order to best serve you and provide an accurate quote, please send a photo of what you need collected along with your inquiry. Inquiries (photos included) can be emailed to office@earthboundenviro.com.

What if my pick-up day falls on a holiday?

*Email communication will always be sent when a holiday will affect our route schedule(s).*

During the week of a holiday below, ALL pick ups the day of or after the holiday will be moved to the following business day, unless otherwise notified. Mondays will be collected Tuesday, Tuesdays collected Wednesday, etc. 

Please ensure your receptacles are curbside by 5:00 A.M. on your day of collection to avoid a missed pick up. Should you miss your pick up and ask for a return trip, an additional fee will be charged, (providing we are able to accommodate your request). If you do not wish to pay for a return to curb trip, we will be back to collect you the following week. Extra fees may apply if you have additional waste outside of your curbside containers. 

Earthbound cannot guarantee pick up times based on growth and need for changes in routes, as appropriate. Your pick up may occur earlier or later than prior pick-ups. If you feel that your collection was missed, please wait until at least 3:00 P.M. to contact our office. At this time, we will address what steps need to be taken.

Earthbound recognizes the following holidays, but routes will only be adjusted if the holiday falls on a week day:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day

If you do not need curbside collection for the week of the holiday, please consider sending us a message letting us know to skip your stop and reduce our carbon footprint by emailing us at office@earthboundenviro.com.

Can I upgrade my traditional recycling?

An 18 gal. recycling tote is provided as part of our standard service offering. Should you desire to upgrade your recycling, we have the following options:
- Additional 18 gal. tote
- 35 gal. rollable cart
- 65 gal. rollable cart
- 95 gal. rollable cart

Please contact our Office in order to obtain specific pricing on recycling upgrades.

Collection Times & Missed Pick-ups

Curbside collection occurs between 5:00 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. Please ensure your receptacles are curbside by 5:00 A.M. on your day of collection to avoid a missed pick up. (Receptacles cannot be placed for collection any earlier than 5:00 P.M. the day prior to your collection and shall be removed on the day of collection).

Should you miss your pick up and ask for a return trip, an additional fee will be required, (providing we are able to accommodate your request). If you do not wish to pay for a return to curb trip, we will be back to collect you the following week. Extra fees may apply if you have additional waste outside of your curbside containers. 

Earthbound cannot guarantee pick up times based on growth and need for changes in routes, as appropriate. Your pick up may occur earlier or later than prior pick-ups. If you feel that your collection was missed, please wait until at least 3:00 P.M. to contact our office. At this time, we will address what steps need to be taken.

If your service has been placed on hold due to non-payment (please reference the Billing & Payment Information FAQ) you will need to contact our office to discuss next steps with reinstating your account.

*Email communication will always be sent when a holiday will affect our route schedule(s).*

What services does Earthbound offer and what does it cost?

DID YOU KNOW THAT HELPING TO SAVE THE WORLD CAN BE EASY AND AFFORDABLE? Earthbound knows it can be! 

We offer it all; traditional garbage & recycling collection, as well as curbside organics recycling (AKA curbside composting) & year-round leaf and yard waste collection. 

Our services consist of weekly or bi-weekly curbside collection and can be set up as Full Service (Organics Recycling, Traditional Recycling, Garbage) or Organics Only. 

Full Service includes three standard cart size options (35, 65, 95 gallon) as well as an 18 gal. recycling tote/bin (with the option to upgrade to a 35, 65 or 95 gallon rolling cart), and a FREE 15 pack of compostable bags with each paid quarter. Services are billed quarterly, in advance. Please send us an Email with your address if you would like a price quote, as pricing does vary based on location. 

Organics Only Service includes a bucket to contain your Earthbound compostable bags and 15 free compostable bags each quarter. You can also have one bag of yard waste outside of your bucket each week, included in the cost! Services start at around $45/quarter. Please send us an Email with your address if you would like a price quote, as pricing does vary based on location.

The Curbside Composting Program is designed to be EASY; simply put the compostable waste you would otherwise throw in your garbage, into your Earthbound compostable bag. When your bag is full, tie it up by the handles and put it in the same curbside container as your garbage, right on top of your bagged trash (for Full Service customers), or in your bucket (for Organics Only customers). We'll sort the bags at the curb, and you can pat yourself on the back for making such a simple change in your habits, which will better our environment for years to come! 

Complete list of what is/isn't compostable with Earthbound

 

Road Construction!

If we receive notice, or you inform us of road construction on your road or near your pick up location, we will need to work together to establish an alternate spot for collection each week. We understand this is not ideal and may cause frustration, but we want to ensure we're still able to collect your waste until the construction is complete.

Earthbound receives general notices about the City of Eau Claire's planned construction projects, but this does not outline what specific parts of roads will be closed each day of every week the project is taking place. You may find that your regular pick-up location is accessible one day, but not the next, which is why we identify an alternate location that will most always be accessible during the duration of the construction project. Once an alternate location has been identified we will only be looking to complete collection at that spot, regardless of if your regular pick-up location is accessible for a short period during the project. Earthbound does not ask our drivers to get out of their trucks and walk to residences to see whether or not a road is accessible. They visibly assess the safety and viability of completing a collection at the curb, from the hauling vehicle. If there is any blockage or inability to access the road, from either direction, the office will be notified that collection could not be completed.

When an alternate location has been identified, that is where the driver will be expecting to see your containers for collection until the construction project is fully complete. Please note that unless you have paid for Up the Drive service, the service you have paid for is curbside, thus our drivers will not be asked to navigate construction on foot to walk your containers.

Please also note that while another hauler may be able to access your road at a certain time, it may be that our drivers are there at a different time when the road is inaccessible. We would most certainly prefer to complete your collection when we're there, so we do not have to make a second trip. 

Earthbound does not receive notices from private contractors regarding any planned projects that may affect road access.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation when construction causes a hindrance with your pick-ups. Should you have concerns regarding waste hauling during periods of construction, please contact your city official(s) to share your input.

Billing Policies & Payment Options

BILLING POLICIES

Payment is due prior to the start of a subscribers' new quarter in order to avoid a late fee and/or skipped collections. Subscribers will receive their invoice approximately 3 - 4 weeks before the start of a new quarter. Invoices are sent electronically unless paper invoices, via US Mail, are requested. 

To make certain you are receiving your invoices, please ensure your email on file is accurate and that our office@earthboundenviro.com email address is added to your contacts. Please also ensure the phone number on your account is the best number in which to reach you. 

As the new quarter approaches, a courtesy payment reminder email will be sent by our staff in an attempt to ensure payment is received in a timely manner. Our staff may also attempt a 2nd courtesy reminder, via phone, prior to when collection will be skipped.

Payments made after the start of the quarter must be received by 3pm on the business day prior to your collection day, or your collection will not occur. Should a subscriber's account remain unpaid after the start of a new quarter, a late fee will be applied to the account, and a pause in service will be placed on the account. This will result in collection not occurring until the account is paid in full.

Earthbound reserves the right to collect our curbside containers at any time when an account is unpaid. Should our containers be collected from an account, a reinstatement fee will apply in order to resume service. We may also require the account be changed over to bi-annual billing, with payment due in advance. Earthbound is not responsible for collecting any waste, including waste already placed inside containers, if an account is unpaid.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Earthbound accepts payment by credit card, debit card or check. Payments can be made via our website, by phone (715-952-5608), by check (please allow a minimum of 10 business days for checks to arrive), or you can drop off payment at our office.

To mail a check or make payment in person:

Earthbound Environmental Solutions, LLC
720 N. Hillcrest Pkwy.
Altoona, WI 54720

Office hours: 8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (M-F)

* Please note that we do not have auto pay at this time. Payments will need to be made each invoice period. If you wish to be billed bi-annually or annually, instead of quarterly, please contact our office to make arrangements. 

Does Earthbound pick up bulk items?

As of March 2024, all area haulers have discontinued participation in the free aspect of the bulk item collections. Please see Eau Claire County's Press Release as well as Earthbound's Press Release for more information. 

Earthbound is a small local business with a focus on sustainability. Not only do these collections present a large cost, which historically the haulers have had to absorb during the Free Bulk Item collection weeks twice per year, they also result in many items being disposed of that could possibly be donated or recycled in some way. 

If you have items that are still usable in any fashion, or could possibly be diverted from the landfill, we are happy to help you find ways to donate or recycle them. The Eau Claire County Recycling website is very helpful in identifying how to manage many of the items that are commonly disposed of during bulk item week. For items that are no longer salvageable, a collection can be scheduled for a fee at any time throughout the year by emailing office@earthboundenviro.com with picture(s) and a brief description of what you would like collected. All bulk items must be paid for prior to collection. 

Please note that bulk items placed curbside will not be collected unless we have heard from the account holder to schedule collection and pre-payment has been received. Additionally, if there is a request for a bulk item collection, this may occur on a day separate from your regular curbside collection depending on how many collections are set for a day. 

At this time Earthbound does not collect Bulk Items from non-subscribers. 

Excess Material & Extra Charges

EXCESS MATERIAL:

Any material that does not fit inside your container(s) (lid does not close, material placed on top of container, next to the container, etc...) is subject to an additional charge. Please note that bulk items need to be scheduled and paid for in advance of collection. Also, any excess material that totals over $20.00 in charges needs to be scheduled and paid for in advance of collection. We request that you email pictures of bulk items and excess material to office@earthboundenviro.com to receive a quote and schedule a collection.

HEAVY CONTAINERS:

Containers that are in excess of normal & customary weight may be assessed a heavy cart charge, which will be a minimum of $10.00* per cart. (If containers are heavy to the point of potentially causing a safety hazard, or other problem, when tipping, they will not be collected).

YARD WASTE:

We collect yard waste ALL year round! Yard waste bags that you can fit inside your trash cart (without smashing them) are included in your quarterly cost. We're happy to accept yard waste bags outside of your container at only $2.00* per bag.

Yard waste is tracked by your driver, but collected on a SEPARATE ROUTE, so please leave your bags curbside until we return to collect them.

If more than 15 bags are placed out for collection, prepayment will be required no later than 3PM on the business day prior to collection by calling 715-952-5608.

BILLING FOR EXTRA CHARGES:

Depending on the situation, extra charges will be processed in one of the following manners:

- Payment for the extra charges may be required prior to the start of your next quarter, in which case a special invoice will be sent, with payment due upon receipt.

- Extra charges may be added to your next regular invoice.

- Payment for excess material/heavy containers may be required in advance of collection of the material.

REQUEST THAT NO EXCESS BE COLLECTED:

You may request that no excess material be collected, or heavy carts tipped, to avoid extra charges on your account. This would also include extra charges as it relates to yard waste outside of your container. Please inform our office, via email, to make this request, and we will note it on the route. 

* Please note that rates and fees are subject to change at any time, including fees for excess material, heavy containers, yard waste, etc...