What to Compost

Welcome compost enthusiasts! We have compiled the below list to aid you in your composting. Whether you are composting at home, or you are a member of our neighborhood composting program, it is good to be aware of the items that can and cannot be added to the pile.

Do not compost

1.     Meats

2.     Oils (Very small amounts from cooking are acceptable)

3.     Metals

4.     Plastics

5.     Feces

6.     Chemicals

Do Compost

Generally, we are looking for organic matter that will not smell or attract wild animals. The following is not an exhaustive list, but it will give you a good idea of what you can compost.

From the Kitchen

1.     Fruit and vegetable scraps

2.     Egg shells (crushed)

3.     Coffee grounds

4.     Coffee filters

5.     Tea bags (Make sure they are made of natural materials like hemp or cotton, and not rayon or other synthetics. If in doubt, just open it and compost the tea leaves alone.)

6.     Loose leaf tea

7.     Spoiled soy/rice/almond/coconut milk

8.     Used paper napkins and paper towels

9.     Unwaxed cardboard pizza boxes (ripped or cut into small pieces)

10.  Paper bags (shredded)

11.  The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors

12.  Cooked pasta

13.  Cooked rice

14.  Stale bread, pitas, tortillas, crackers, and cereal

15.  Stale tortilla chips or potato chips

16.  Spoiled pasta sauce or tomato paste

17.  Crumbs from the bottom of snack food packaging

18.  Paper towel rolls (shredded)

19.  Cardboard boxes from cereal, pasta, etc. (Remove any plastic windows and shred)

20.  Used paper plates (as long as they don’t have a waxy coating)

21.  Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which are toxic to plants)

22.  Tofu and tempeh

23.  Seaweed, kelp or nori

24.  Unpopped, burnt popcorn kernels

25.  Old herbs and spices

26.  Pizza crusts

27.  Old oatmeal

28.  Peanut shells

29.  Stale pumpkins

30.  Wine corks (chop up so they decompose faster)

31.  Old jelly, jam, or preserves

32.  Stale beer and wine

From the Bathroom

45.  Trimmings from an electric razor

46.  Toilet paper rolls (shredded)

47.  100% cotton cotton balls

48.  Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks

From the Laundry Room

58.  Dryer lint

59.  Cotton fabric scraps (shredded)

60.  Very old cotton towels and sheets (shredded)

From the Office

63.  Paper! (Shredded - Old mail, receipts, business cards)

64.  Bills and other plain paper documents (shredded)

65.  Envelopes (shredded, minus the plastic window)

66.  Pencil shavings

67.  Sticky notes (shredded)

68.  Old business cards (shredded, as long as they’re not glossy)

Around the House

68.  Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)

69.  Junk mail (shredded, remove coated paper and plastic windows)

70.  Subscription cards from magazines (shredded)

71.  Burlap sacks (cut or torn into small pieces)

72.  Old rope and twine (chopped, natural, unwaxed only)

73.  Leaves trimmed from houseplants

74.  Dead houseplants and their soil

75.  Flowers from floral arrangements

76.  Natural potpourri

77.  Used matches

78.  Grass clippings

79.  Dead autumn leaves

80.  Sawdust (from plain wood that has NOT been pressure-treated, stained or painted)

Party and Holiday Supplies

85.  Wrapping paper rolls (cut into smaller pieces)

86.  Paper table cloths (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)

87.  Jack O’lanterns (smashed)

88.  The hay bales used as part of your outdoor fall decor

89.  Natural holiday wreaths (chop up with pruners first)

90.  Christmas trees (chop up with pruners first, or use a wood chipper, if you have one…)

91.  Evergreen garlands (chop up with pruners first)

Pet-Related

94.  Fur from the dog or cat brush

95.  Droppings and bedding from your rabbit, gerbil, hamster, etc. (Vegetarian pets)

96.  Feathers

97.  Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits, gerbils, etc.)

98.  Dry dog or cat food, fish pellets