What are the substances that can be composted?
The following list is intended to get you thinking about composting options. Imagine how much waste we could save from the landfills if each of us only composted a few more things!
(G) refers to goods that are predominantly "green" or nitrogenous and disintegrate rapidly;
(B) refers to items that are mostly "brown" or carbonaceous and decay considerably more slowly.
Waste from the kitchen
1. Fruit and vegetable waste (G)
2. Crushed egg shells (B)
3. Ground coffee (G)
4. Filters for coffee (B)
5. Tea, loose leaf (G)
6. Soy/rice/almond/oat/coconut milk spoiled (G)
7. Paper napkins and paper towels (B)
8. Pizza boxes, unwaxed (torn or split into little bits) (B)
9. Shredded paper bags (B)
10. The crumbs that you brush off the countertops and floors (B)
11. Pasta cooked (G)
12. Rice cooked (G)
13. Bread that has gone stale (B)
14. Potato chips (B)
15. Tomato paste or steamed spaghetti sauce (G)
16. Bottom crumbs from snack food container (B)
17. Cereal that's gone bad (B)
18. Cardboard boxes from cereal, pasta and other foods (B)
19. Paper plates (if they don't have a waxy covering) (B)
20. Nut shells (B)
21. Herbs and spices (G)
22. Protein or "energy" bars that have gone bad (G)
23. Crusts for pizza (B)
24. Stale oatmeal (B)
25. Shelled peanuts (B)
26. Egg cartons (B)
27. Cheese (G)
28. Melted ice cream (G)
29. Unused jellies, jams, or preserves (G)
30. Tooth picks (B)
31. Cupcake or muffin liners (B)
From the Washroom
1. Facial tissues (B)
2. Hairbrush hair (B)
3. Rolls of toilet paper (B)
4. Cotton balls (B)
5. Cotton swab sticks (B)
From the laundry room
1. Lint from dryers (B)
2. Old cotton slacks and jeans (ripped or cut into small pieces) (B)
3. Cotton fabric scraps (B)
4. Clothing made of old wool (B)
5. Shredded cotton towels and sheets (B)
Around the house
1. Wood and tile floor (B)
2. Dustpan's contents (B)
3. Crumbs from between your couch cushions (B)
4. Newspapers (shredded or ripped into little pieces) (B)
5. Junk mail (shredded, coated paper and plastic windows removed) (B)
6. Rope and thread (B)
7. Clipped leaves from houseplants (G)
8. Houseplants that have died and their soil (B)
9. Floral arrangements' flowers (G)
10. Applied matches (B)
11. Grass cuttings (G)
12. Autumn leaves (B)
Conclusion
Composting is much more than simply a garden fertilizer. It is a critical and important sustainability approach for minimizing waste, ending the nutrient cycle and limiting air pollution, which contributes to climate change.
If you have any concerns regarding what composting will look like for your company or home, please contact us. We also provide the best food recyclers to convert your food/organic waste into beneficial fertilizer.
