FREEPORT – Freeport is offering free commercial-quality compost bins for the first 15 residents not already composting, and who agree to attend a meeting in October. The town also is offering bins at a reduced cost for other residents interested in composting.

Al Presgraves, town engineer, said that the bins are 31?2 feet high and 3 feet in diameter. They are available now, but there had been no great rush for them as of Monday, probably because word has not gotten out, he said. The offer has been made public on the town’s website, www.freeportmaine.com.

The town will give away the bins on a first-come, first-serve basis. Application forms are available at Town Hall, the Recycling Center on Hedgehog Mountain Road, the town website or by emailing sduplissis@freeportmaine.com.

According to the announcement, residents must agree to attend a Recycling Committee meeting at the Freeport Community Center on Oct. 15, to share their composting experiences with committee members.

Presgraves said that the bins being offered are of high quality.

“They’re the kind of thing you’d go out and pay good money for,” he said.

Freeport residents have responded well in the past to both the free and the reduced-price offer, Presgraves said.

“We’ve offered reduced-price composters for over 10 years,” he said. “This is a statewide program. We sold as many as 100 one year, and usually sell between 10 and 20. We feel there’s a lot of them out there, and that’s a good thing.”

Presgraves said that the town has incentive to encourage composting.

“We encourage composting of organic waste, which will save the town money on solid waste costs,” he said. “It will also provide compost for those who can use it, and it’s a great way to recycle.”

People with questions can call 865-3740.