The Repurposing Life

How to Compost Dos & Don’ts

With this post I’d like to share all the information I’ve compiled regarding composting. Specifically compost’s dos & don’ts. You’ve probably got a good handle on the items you can toss into your recycling bins—paper, plastics, glass, aluminum, etc.—but if you compost (or if you’re thinking about starting) it might surprise you to know that you can add more to your compost pile than just food scraps, coffee grounds and leaves.

Composting and organic waste collection have boomed over the past two decades in North America. Between 1994 and 2011, the amount of Canadian homes participating in some form of composting rose 38% encompassing 61% of households. While these households are in the US, hundreds of communities have implemented an organics collection program with some of the larger cities and have begun collecting compostable material to aid their zero waste goals.

While the list of what you can compost in your backyard versus a curbside collection organics program may differ slightly, or a lot depending on where you live, some common elements should never be thrown on your compost pile or in your green bin.

Things You Should Compost

Knowing what’s safe to throw in your composting bin, and what should stay out, can be confusing. Here’s a list to make it easy to compost, adapted from the EPA, Cornell University, and other composting experts. The following is by no means written in stone if you have a curbside collection program in your neighborhood, some of the listed items might be accepted by your program, check before you chuck.

Fireplace Ashes — You can actually compost the ash from your fireplace—just make sure that 1) you’re only doing so in small amounts, since too much ash can turn your compost heap too alkaline, and that 2) you’re only using ash from burning grasses, papers, cardboard, and untreated unpainted wood.

Paper Towels — You can totally add paper towels to your compost heap, just be aware of what you’ve used them for—if you’ve used them to clean up pet waste, soak up oil, put chemical cleaners on them or anything else on this list of things not to compost, don’t add them to the pile. But for most spills and food messes, you’re fine to compost them afterwards.

Select Clothing — Of course, you should donate anything that’s still wearable, but some items that aren’t can actually be added to your compost heap. Clothing that is made out of natural fibers (so 100 percent cotton, pure wool, silk, linen, hemp or any blend of those) can be composted—so long as it’s not stained with anything that can’t be composted. Also, make sure you rip or cut items up and mix them in with wetter items to help them break down easier.

Dryer Lint — Along the same lines, you can compost dryer lint—so long as you haven’t used commercial dryer sheets (this is because of the perfumes and synthetic fibers, so if you use dryer sheets but want to compost your dryer lint, try switching to dryer balls instead) and you’re mostly drying natural fibers like the types of clothing above.

Wine Corks — Along with recycling them, you can compost them too! Just make sure they’re actually cork and not plastic that looks like cork, that they haven’t been painted, and that any non-cork materials are removed from it first.

Facial Tissues & Toilet Paper — however, put in your black bin if it is soiled with makeup, cleaning supplies, chemicals, or blood.

Fruits and Vegetables — whole, or their cores, seeds, and peels.

Nut Shells — except walnuts.

Seaweed — rinse off saltwater first.

Banana Peels — Composting banana peels is as easy as simply tossing your leftover banana peels into the compost. You can toss them in whole, but be aware that they may take longer to compost this way. … While, yes, you can use banana peels as fertilizer and it will not harm your plant, it is best to compost them first.

Eggshells — Adding eggshells to compost will help add calcium to the makeup of your final compost. This important nutrient helps plants build cell walls. … While you don’t need to crush eggshells before composting them, doing so will speed up how fast the eggshells break down in the compost.

Onions — while it is okay to add onions to your traditional compost pile, you should add these garden annuals with caution. Because onions are a strongly aromatic, odorous food, you run the risk of attracting pests and wildlife to your compost pile.

Bread — yes, breads, cookies, pastas, crackers and other flour-based products will break down and can easily be composted. Bread will decompose quickly and add a source of nitrogen to your compost pile. But any food scraps can also attract pests.

Orange Peels — this is really only true in vermicomposting, the worms don’t like the citrus. But in traditional compost piles, orange peels bring in phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. It is a good idea to break your peels down into small pieces so they will compost faster, otherwise they can take a lot of time.

Tea Bags — Tea leaves contain tannic acid and nutrients that are natural fertilizers for a garden. As the leaves and bag decompose they release the nutrients into the soil, creating an ideal growing area. They help retain water and many gardeners plant them next to the roots of their plants. Not only can you compost tea bags as fertilizer in the compost bin, but loose leaf teas and compostable tea bags may be dug in around plants. Using tea bags in compost adds that nitrogen-rich component to the compost, balancing the carbon-rich materials.

Wood Ash — it also creates better conditions for composting worms, which will speed up decomposition. Compost that’s less acidic is perfect for mulching around vegetables. Add wood ash little and often in thin layers. A few handfuls or one shovelful every six inches (15cm) of material is fine.

Pickles (and Vinegar) — yes, but in moderation. Vinegar is also a natural weed control because of its high acidity. Apple cider vinegar contains many valuable nutrients that can benefit the compost pile. A good compost pile will contain a wide variety of compostable materials.

Fur, Hair and Nail Clippings — Human hair is a rich source of nitrogen and can be added to a compost pile or bin. Likewise, fingernail and toenail clippings can also be composted if they are free from all nail polish. If you happen to use peanuts to keep your toes apart during a pedicure, you compost those as well.

Epsom Salts — if you grow tomatoes and peppers and use your compost to grow them. Early in the season add Epsom salt to the soil to aid germination, early root and cell development, photosynthesis, plant growth, and to prevent blossom-end rot.

Cardboard — cardboard helps speeds up the process by increasing the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in the compost heap. Plain cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, brown paper bags, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls and cardboard egg cartons are usually safe to use in a compost heap.

Wood Chips, Sawdust, Toothpicks, Burnt Matches — untreated wood scraps and sawdust can go in your green bin in small blocks or as sawdust in a compostable bag. Sawdust is the type of thing most folks would likely add to a compost pile without much thought. So unless you are sure that the sawdust is from untreated wood, it is best to not add it to your compost bin.

Houseplants, Grass Clippings, Yard Trimmings, Hay and Straw — Yard waste usually makes a huge portion of your medley of organic material in the backyard and while it makes sense to throw leaves, plants and sticks and other greenery into your compost bin.

Leaves — Bad leaves for composting: Bad leaves are those higher in lignin and lower in nitrogen and calcium. These include beech, oak, holly, and sweet chestnut. Also, make sure to avoid using leaves of black walnut and eucalyptus as these plants contain natural herbicides that will prevent seeds from germinating.

Animal Manure — from herbivores like small prey animals; not carnivores like dogs or cats. It may be tempting to add pet waste to your compost pile, particularly since it is common practice to use manure in gardens.

Coffee Grounds and Filters —if you will be adding used coffee grounds to your compost pile, keep in mind that they are considered green compost material and will need to be balanced with the addition of some brown compost material. Coffee is a good compost ingredient, but not the filters. Most of the white coffee filters used today are bleached.

Shredded Newspaper — but not magazines, shiny, glossy, or colored paper.

Remember that most composting experts advise a balance between green waste — watery materials like fruits and vegetables, grass clippings and weeds — and brown waste like dried leaves, sticks, fur, cloth, cardboard, and paper.

Things You Should NOT Compost

There are some folks who compost just about anything, including pet manure and human manure. Others believe that it is absolutely necessary to stick to a strict list of what is okay to compost and what is not. For most backyard composters, it is okay to be somewhere in the middle, and you certainly will not ruin your compost bin if you accidentally toss a leftover turkey sandwich into it.

Here are the most common items you will find on lists of what not to compost, as well as the reasons most folks believe you should not compost them — so that you can decide what is right for your compost pile.

Weeds with Seeds — be wary of throwing weeds into the mix since they could potentially take root and start to grow throughout your organic waste, putting the quality of your mound in jeopardy. If you missed some weeds before they went to seed and now are wondering what to do with them, it is best to just throw them in the trash. This may seem wasteful, but weed seeds in your compost bin will be spread with your compost throughout your vegetable garden or in your flowerbeds. Then, instead of your fresh layer of compost helping to limit weed growth, it will only makes things worse and you will really have a weed problem.

Dairy — Dairy, such as milk, butter and cheese, will break down, so it is not an absolute no-no for compost bins. However, the problem with dairy is that it will attract rodents, raccoons and other unwanted critters into your yard. It can also make your compost pile smell, so it is bet to avoid it.

Pet & Human Waste — while human and pet waste is “organic,” pet and animal waste can create a health risk, rendering your compost pile completely useless (and smelly). Waste from animals that eat meat (and sometimes other weird and unknown things) is not a good addition to compost. These waste products could potentially add bad organisms into the compost that may not be eradicated through regular backyard composting and could pose a health risk if used around plants grown for food.

Meat, Bones and Other Animal Products — we all know that bodies decompose, which would make you think that it is okay to put animal products like meat, fish, bones or lard in with the rest of your kitchen scraps. However, while they will eventually break down, these products provide a big, smelly invitation to stray dogs, raccoons, rodents and other animals, so it is best to throw them in the trash.

Magazines, Shiny, Glossy, or Colored Paper — Synthetic materials used to coat glossy paper, dyes used to color paper and the inks used to print magazines often contain toxic materials that you do not want anywhere near plants that are grown for food. It may be possible to include some of these in a compost bin destined for ornamental beds only, but these are not good additions to compost piles, generally speaking.

Cooked or Uncooked Rice — here is another one that most folks would probably think is just fine to add into their compost, but it is best to avoid both cooked and uncooked rice. Uncooked rice is going to attract rodents to your yard, while cooked rice can lead to the growth of unwanted bacteria.

Cooking Oils & Greasy Food — the ecosystem of your compost requires a certain amount of moisture for its contents to decompose properly. Oils can mess with this delicate balance so keeping grease away from your compost pile is essential for its well-being. Cooking oils will also attract unwanted visitors and can make your compost pile smell, so try to avoid including them in your bin.

Plants Sprayed with Chemical Herbicides or Pesticides — some chemical pesticides and herbicides may break down during the composting process, but others will not. It is best to avoid all pesticides and herbicides, since these can certainly affect your end product and the plants that are grown in it.

Coal Ash — it may be tempting to throw the ashes from your charcoal barbecue into your compost, particularly because other types of ash are fine to add. However, this is one temptation you will definitely want to avoid, since commercial charcoal products (like briquettes) are often treated with chemicals that have no place in a compost bin. If you use an all-natural, wood charcoal, then it is okay to put the ashes in your compost pile.

Walnuts — in yet another unsuspected twist in the composting world, walnuts are a no-no. It would seem that something natural and healthy like a walnut would be just fine, but they contain juglone, which is toxic to some plants. So if you plan on using your compost around your prized tomato plants, you should know that this is just one type of plant that does not get along well with soil containing juglone.

Most Personal Care Products — Flushable wipes, cotton balls, tampons and diapers are all things better sent to the garbage. Used personal care products may contain blood or other products that pose a health risk when added to compost, and some may be made from synthetic materials that will not break down in your compost bin.

Diseased Plants — some plant diseases can be destroyed through the composting process, but many backyard composting piles are not going to reach the level of heat required to accomplish this. To avoid spreading fungi, unwanted bacteria and other plant diseases, do not include diseased plants in your compost bin.

Plastic, Metal and Glass — this one may go without saying for most folks, but it is important to note that leftovers or spoiled foods need to be removed from their packages before being tossed in the compost bin. There are some compostable packaging materials that are designed to biodegrade right along with the leftovers you brought home from the restaurant, but most food packaging will not break down in your compost bin.

Sawdust from Treated Wood — treated wood or wood scraps that have been turned into sawdust. The chemicals used in the treatment process can compromise the integrity of your “black gold” rendering it uses for future use. This includes creosote-treated wood, pallets, pressure-treated wood, plywood, particle board, OSB, and MDF.

Biodegradable Bags — this is just a reminder that biodegradable IS NOT the same as compostable. While compostable products are biodegradable, the reverse is not necessarily true. Biodegradable products, of any kind, degrade through biological processes (thus the name) into smaller pieces. They do not always become fertilizer like compost does, however. As much as a product might try to convince you that biodegradable products are green, they go in your black bin unless they also say that they are compostable.

Dryer Lint & Dryer Sheets — these products are often made of synthetic materials, so they go into your black bin. If you need a greener solution to dryer sheets, look into dryer balls, especially ones made of wool.

Wax Paper & Butcher Paper — Even though these paper products are often associated with foodstuffs, they have linings that can’t be composted. They go in the black bin. Parchment paper, however, goes in your green bin.

Gum — Chewing gum and bubble gum, even though they are a “food” item, most often have synthetic rubbers, plastics, and/or waxes as their bases. Even though you can find information on the internet about composting gum, if you read carefully, the item is biodegradable, not compostable. Place it in your black bin.

Food Grade Sodium Bicarbonate — you absolutely cannot put baking soda in compost. Baking soda is well known for killing the smell in tennis shoes and general fungus killing. It turns out to be one of the best fungicides there is. If you put it in your compost, you will essentially kill the pile.

Baked Goods — like milk and meat products, wild animals have an affinity for baked goods just like you do, but if you find yourself throwing out a lot of cake, cookies and various other delicious baked goods on a regular basis, wild animals are probably your biggest worries.

Highly Acidic Foods — Citrus fruit, tomato products and pickled food products can do harm to your compost when used in excess. High acidity can actually kill the good bacteria that helps break down the material in your compost pile.

So whether you’re composting for your garden or have an organic collection program to help alleviate the amount of trash going to your community’s landfill, keeping the above items out of your compost will get you on the right track.

These are some of the most common products found on lists of what you should not compost; however, some of these products (as noted above) can actually be placed in a compost bin. The problem is that they may attract unwanted critters, may take a very long time to break down, or may make your compost bin smell. To try to use as much waste as possible and to avoid these issues, some people maintain two or more compost bins. Placing common composting materials into one compost bin, and then having a second bin for more troublesome or longer lasting items is one way to use more of your kitchen scraps and leftover foods.

It should also be noted that there are lots of things that are okay to compost in small amounts or that are sometimes okay to compost and sometimes not. One example is oranges and other citrus fruits. While it is fine to include small amounts of citrus fruits in your compost bin, adding too many can upset the balance and make your compost too acidic. Use compostable pet waste bags. All pets produce waste, and the easiest way to dispose of that waste responsibly is to place it in a compostable bag and then toss it into your large green bin.

Things You Should Recycle Rather Than Compost

Glasses — have an old pair of glasses or two lying around with an old prescription that you can’t wear anymore? Turn them over to One Sight or Lions International so they can be recycled and used to help people who need glasses and vision care.

Crayons — Don’t throw out old, broken crayons that your kids don’t use anymore. Crazy Crayons has a recycling program that takes your old unwanted crayons and turns them into new ones for organizations that help kids, like hospitals, orphanages and women’s shelters.

Cigarette Butts — if you smoke but want to be more conscious of cigarette waste, you’re in luck—TerraCycle actually has a cigarette butt recycling program. The cigarette butts they collect are used to make industrial items like plastic pallets, and leftover tobacco gets composted.

Packing Peanuts — shipping companies will actually reuse packing peanuts from packages you receive, so there’s no need to throw them away. If you want to know where you can drop them off locally, search your neighborhood on this online directory from the Plastic Loose Fill Council.

Old Keys — stuck with old keys that don’t actually open anything anymore? Key For Hope is a non-profit organization that will collect your unwanted keys and sell them to scrap recyclers, using the money to help feed homeless people in need.

Wine Corks — Your wine corks don’t have to go to waste. ReCORK, North America’s largest wine cork recycling program, will take them (so long as they’re natural cork) off your hands and put them to new uses to help positively impact the environment.

Aluminum Foil —Rinse off the foil and crumple into a ball to recycle. If it’s covered in lots of oils, stuck on foods, and so on, put it in the black bin instead.

Metal Lids — metal lids as well as aluminum can lids. So long as you put them into the can they came from and squeeze the top of the can partially closed so the lid can’t escape.

Bathroom Compost

Since working towards becoming a zero waste homesteader, I’m always inspired to look around my home for ways to divert more of our waste. Most of us are aware of the benefits of composting; and many of us make the effort to compost food scraps from our kitchen. I decided to start composting in my bathroom because paper products are a welcome addition to any compost pile.

Paper products (carbon source) alternated between layers of greens (nitrogen source) actually help in the composting process. If you do your own backyard composting, this process takes more effort, since you have to be mindful of amount of carbon vs nitrogen that you are layering. Read more about the C-N ratio. Recology’s composting facilities are really well established and on an industrial scale. This is the case for a lot of towns. For that reason, I focus on making the behavior change towards more composting easier in my household.

This method has been a success for a couple of reasons:

• We have at least halved our bathroom waste
• We have increased our household awareness for composting, which has a “trickle down” effect into other areas of our lives.

Night Soil

In areas where native soil is of poor quality, the local population may weigh the risk of using night soil. The use of unprocessed human feces as fertilizer is a risky practice as it may contain disease-causing pathogens. The safe introduction of human excreta into compost is possible.

The Stink about Human Poop as Fertilizer

Some human waste ends up in forests and farm fields as the treated, human-feces-based fertilizer known as biosolids. Almost 50 percent of biosolids created in the US are applied to land, with the majority being used in agriculture.

It is possible that sewage is used as fertilizer, as it is in many parts of the world. In any case, there is no problem with this, human waste is as effective a fertilizer as is animal waste.

Worms Eat Human Manure

Earthworms/compost worms are amazing creatures. They basically live off any organic matter that is starting to decompose. So if they are offered human excrement as a food source they will gladly devour it. Worms eat human manure digest it and convert the remaining materials into their own waste called worm castings.

Pee in Compost

When added to the compost bin, undiluted human urine reduces the time it takes for carbons to break down. It also increases the nutrient values in the finished compost.

Compost Heap How-To

For anyone new to composting I’ve prepared a round-up of top tips and great stuff that will help you get on top of your compost.

1. Buy a decent compost bin

If you don’t fancy building a compost heap like the large ones we have at Eden, try a compost bin. They’re compact, so they’re perfect for smaller gardens and yards. We’ve lots in our online shop.

2. Pick the perfect spot for your compost heap or bin

It’s best to site it on a level, well-drained spot, which will ensure that any excess water drains away easily. This also helps worms to get in and get on with the job of breaking down the content.

3. Let the worms do the hard work

Nature has provided us with the perfect waste disposal unit in the humble worm. They can live their whole lives in the dark and love the moist atmosphere of a compost heap. They eat the waste material you put in and convert it into liquid feed and compost. The brilliant tiger worm (Eisenia fetida) is the most efficient little worm we know, and loves nothing more than eating its way through organic waste. We post them out from our shop in worm-friendly pouches so they get to your compost heap ready for action.

4. Put the right stuff in

Good things to compost include vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings and grass cuttings. These are fast to break down and provide important nitrogen as well as moisture. It’s also good to include things such as cardboard egg boxes, scrunched up paper and fallen leaves. These are slower to rot but provide vital fiber and carbon. They also help air pockets form in the mixture. Crushed eggshells can be included to add useful minerals.

5. Don’t put the wrong stuff in

Certain things should never be placed in your bin. No meat or dairy products unless you’ve opted for a digester. No diseased plants, and definitely no dog poo or cat litter, or babies’ nappies. Putting any of these in your compost will lead to unwanted pests and smells. Also avoid composting perennial weeds (such as dandelions and thistle) or weeds with seed heads. Remember that plastics, glass and metals are not suitable for composting and should be recycled separately.

6. Get the balance right

The key to good compost lies in getting the mix right. You need to keep your ‘greens’ and ‘browns’ properly balanced. If your compost is too wet, add more ‘browns’. If it’s too dry, add some ‘greens’. Making sure there is enough air in the mixture is also important. Adding scrunched up bits of cardboard is a simple way to create air pockets. Air pockets will help keep your compost healthy. Air can also be added by mixing the contents.

7. Give it a good airing

A well-cared-for compost heap requires regular turning, which can be a tricky job without the right tools. Turning your compost helps to aerate and mix up the waste and cuttings, which leads to faster composting.

8. Boost to the system

You can encourage the correct enzymes in your compost by using a compost activator. It helps to turn your garden waste into rich compost in less than half the time. Mix a small amount into water and pour it onto your compost. After 10 weeks of rotting your compost is ready to use. It can also be used to revive partially composted or dead heaps.

9. Turn fallen leaves into compost too

As autumn seems to have come early to many of us you can use fallen leaves as a good source of compost. It’s fine to add these to your compost bin but if you have large amounts of leaves, you might prefer to place them in a large biodegradable leaf bag. Once you’ve gathered up your fallen leaves they can be left to turn into a brilliant source of moisture-rich soil improver that’s great to use for potting mixes as an alternative to peat. The leaves will be kept neatly in one place and the sack will biodegrade, leaving you with a rich pile of wonderful compost.

10. Getting the best out of your compost

When your compost is ready you’ll have a dark brown, almost black soil-like layer at the bottom of your bin. It should have a spongy texture and will be rich in nutrients. Spreading the finished compost into your flowerbeds greatly improves soil quality by helping it retain moisture and suppressing weeds. It also reduces the need to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Sunlight and Compost

You can put your compost pile in the sun or in the shade, but putting it in the sun will hasten the composting process. Sun helps increase the temperature, so the bacteria and fungi work faster. This also means that your pile will dry out faster, especially in warm southern climates.

Moisture in Compost

In fact, if you need to add dry ingredients such as straw or hay, soak the material first in water so it won’t dry out your compost pile. In general your compost should be moist, but not sopping wet. Too much water in the pile will slow down the process and can also make it slimy and icky.

Insects & Maggots in Compost

Most people shudder when they see maggots in their bin composter or compost pile. Don’t be grossed out – they won’t hurt you. In fact, these larvae play a role in breaking down and recycling nutrients back into the soil.

Sources:
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Top 5 Things You Thought Were Compostable
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What to Compost and What Not to Compost – Here’s a List of What’s Safe for Composting
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Written by Marc Lallanilla, Updated 10/07/19
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