Composting is available for tenants using special bins, liners, and labels. Service and our Sustainability Consultant are happy to help get you started.

Acceptable compostable materials include:

• Food waste
• Soiled paper napkins
• Compostable plates, cups, and containers
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Flowers and other organic materials

Like standard mixed recycling, THE MART does not charge tenants for composting, which could be a significant savings if your heavy organics are not being added to trash going to the landfill.

Please dispose of the following items in trash bins:

• Plastic bags
• Disposable coffee cups
• Snack packaging and wrappers
• PPE gloves and masks
• Non-compostable food containers
• Any item you are unsure of, to avoid recycling or composting bin contamination

THE MART weighs and tracks all waste generated from the building. Tenants are charged for landfill waste and certain specialty recycling items—such as appliances and large electronics. Standard recycling and composting are also tracked, but these services are provided at no cost.

To help tenants reduce landfill waste and lower associated costs, we offer monthly waste reports. These reports allow you to monitor your workplace’s waste habits and identify opportunities for improvement.

For over a decade, THE MART has proudly partnered with ZeroLandfill Chicago to collect expired material samples from design showrooms, keeping them out of landfills. ZeroLandfill volunteers sort and distribute these materials free of charge to local students, artists, and educators.

The annual collection is held each April on showroom floors 3 East, 6 East, 10 East, 11 East, 14 East and West. When possible, we do our best to offer a fall collection as well.

Accepted Architectural Samples: Fabric, loose tiles, laminate, vinyl, rubber, wall coverings, glass, wood, quartz, and paint chips/decks.

No longer accepted: Catalogs, binders, vinyl base, mounted tile samples, broken items, or ceiling tiles.