An Insider Look at Texas’ Favorite Composting Provider

Hey there, folks! Today we’re inviting our Texas neighbors to get to know Break it Down a little better. Who we are, what we’re up to, and why –

At Break it Down we’re on a mission to revolutionize the way we think about and process waste. Now, we realize that statements promising to be greener are a dime a dozen – which is why we’re here to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

We’ve got super exciting things to share about our vision to make a big difference in the Lone Star State, and the groundbreaking achievements we’ve already made as pioneers of the composting industry. Grab a cup of coffee (or your preferred beverage), and let’s dive in.

It might be a bit of a challenge to imagine where we’re headed, without first understanding where we’re coming from. Let’s meet the founders!

First up, we’ve got Jeff Paine, or as we like to call him, the Mad Scientist. Armed with a Master’s in Biochem from Berkeley, and a Masters in something else that sounds important, Jeff’s passion for winning the school science fair (please not another volcano), big picture thinking and a strong desire to make a positive impact on the world, has led him down the unexpected path of starting a local composting and recycling business. As the busy CEO and Chief Composter, if Jeff can get through his crammed to-do list before the end of the day, you’ll probably catch him running around the warehouse sorting the beetroots out of a pile of carrot pulp, singeing his eyebrows with a new biochar kiln contraption, or at home tending to his 100% fully HOA-approved sprawling backyard garden.

And then there’s Melanie MacFarlane, the heart of gold and driving force behind Break it Down’s inception. Read more here about what inspired her to come up with the idea of Break it Down, and how she convinced Jeff to go all in. With degrees in Social Work and Fashion, Mel’s mission every day is to connect Break it Down to the core of our community and make a real environmental and social difference. Close friends appreciate that she’s ornery and fun as all get out, but the sentiments that shine through in her role at Break it Down, are her passion to lead the company in sharing humor, compassion for humanity, and sustainability education – and, of course, ensuring we look absolutely fabulous while doing so.

The Break it Down team holds immense admiration for Mel & Jeff – two of the coolest, most authentic and inspiring bosses and small business owners Austin has ever known. They are dedicated to cultivating an environment that encourages kindness, excellence, and innovation among their team and their community, making Break it Down a great place to work.

For over a decade, they have poured their hearts and souls into building a small business that recognizes the inherent economic and social value of innovative waste management for urban environments. For them, it’s not about worn out cliches and green washing, it’s about the reality of turning waste into a resource to improve local communities.

Well, as you might’ve worked out already – a key principle that sets Break it Down apart from other waste haulers is that we’re simply not satisfied with collecting food scraps and sending them off to compost.

While the landfill and recycling markets have been thoroughly explored and streamlined, we can’t say the same for organics recycling, which is mostly thought of as “composting.” We believe that diverting food from the landfill is truly a worthy cause with widespread benefits, however composting those organics into soil is only one way to get further value from our waste.

Break it Down is proud to be a pioneer leading the way in the exploratory phase of finding higher end-uses for our community’s organic waste.

Break it Down is as much a research & development lab as we are a commercial hauling services provider!

We’re experimenting and concocting on the daily, sending off samples for testing, upcycling food and other organic waste into test products like specialized feeds and fertilizers, even means for water filtration systems.

How many other commercial composting servicers can say they have end-products currently being tested by a government pilot program to remove harmful contaminants from drinking water?

And, check out our gigantic dehydrators from Hungry Giant, custom ordered to be the biggest we’ve ever heard of. We may be focused intently on reimagining the waste scene, but we can proudly confirm …

everything is indeed bigger in Texas.

Right here in Austin & surrounding areas! We’ve fostered long standing relationships with many of Austin’s local favorites, from the juiciest Juiceland juicery to the mouthwatering kingdom of Ramen Tatsu-Ya, as well as local mushroom, worm, and cattle farms – we’re in cahoots with your business neighbors big and small to create something truly special (and more importantly, truly useful!) from your leftover spaghetti, bones, human hair, and even the mulch from fallen branches in your neighborhood!

We’re super proud of our team, our vision & accomplishments, and the truth is, we’re just getting warmed up.