Learn About Composting Day Handout

Learn About Composting Day on May 29th is a day to start recycling biodegradable waste in an eco-friendly way! There are many different types and combinations of compost bins that you can make – some can be simple composts in soda bottles while some can be many different layers in a much larger bin! Food scraps and yard waste currently make up more than 30% of materials thrown away. Starting compost keeps these materials from going to landfills and creates nutrient-rich soil to be used in your yard or garden.

What to compost: fruits and vegetables, eggshells, coffee grounds/filters, tea bags, nutshells, shredded newspaper, cardboard, paper, yard trimmings, grass clippings houseplants, hays/straw, leaves, sawdust, wood chips, cotton/wool rags, hair and fur, and fireplace ashes.

What not to compost: Black walnut tree leaves/twigs, coal or charcoal ash, dairy products, diseased plants, fats/grease, meat/fish bones or scraps, pet waste, or yard trimmings treated with chemicals or pesticides. These materials could either be harmful to your other organic materials or could attract rodents and insects.

If you have something you’d like to put in your compost but don’t see it on the list, look it up!