Interested in composting, but don’t know much about it or what can be composted? I used to be the same way, but got into composting and love it! Read on for a comprehensive list and easy tips!
What can be composted and how? There are many options for composting. You can create your own compost zone in your yard, get a fancy schmancy composting machine, or sign up with a service! I took the service route and have zero regrets.
But what is composting all about? As someone always interested in helping the environment, I just happened to see a note about it on my city website, was curious, and investigated.
I never thought much about composting. I thought you had to know about farming and have a bunch of tools and always be in your backyard. I didn’t even really know WHY it was such a big deal, other than people wanted to make their own rich soil.
But what I soon learned was that food scraps in the landfill can create a lot of harmful gases that chip away at the health of our climate. I had no clue!
If this intrigues you, read on! I can help you started, my future composting friend!
This post is all about what can be composted.
What Can Be Composted
Just a little note…
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But First: Your Compost Choices
1. Make your own compost pile in your backyard
First of all, I have no experience making compost on my own! I once mulched up some leaves with my mower, but I don’t think that counts! But, if you go this route, I’d first check your neighborhood or city rules to make sure this is allowed. Some places are fussy!
Another thing: Make sure you have enough room in your yard to properly set up a compost pile, especially enough room away from your neighbors. I know this may come as a surprise, but some people will complain about ANYTHING. And EVERYTHING. And NOTHING. And if a compost pile stinks or attracts critters, you might have a nightmarish neighbor situation on you hands. Have you watched “Fear Thy Neighbor?” I sort of highly AND don’t highly recommend this show!
You should also be prepared to spend some time learning about turning the compost and the balance of elements it needs to convert to actual compost versus a pile of stink in your yard! I, myself, do not have this kind of patience, so this is why we’re talking compost services!
If you’re still hesitant, go to Idea #2:
2. Go the countertop machine route
One of my friends uses an electric kitchen composter. I think this is a great choice if you’re pretty organized and don’t mind a little machine maintenance, like cleaning and changing filters. You’ll probably also need an area to store your compost until you use it in your garden, like a bin in the garage or secure shed.
3. sign up for a composting service
A lot of cities have local compost companies that provide small buckets with handles (about the size of a small-ish trashcan), liners, and a pickup service at your home. Many have the additional option of dropping off at one of their commercial locations.
I do the compost service that comes to my house! The composting company I use is easy to work with and has great customer service. I think this option requires the least effort on your part.
Every week, I leave my buckets at the curb, the compost folks stop by, clean the buckets, and give me fresh liners. (Some services bring the buckets right up to your porch! It all depends on the area and that company’s resources.) All I really have to do is fill up the buckets with scraps and everything is professionally turned and transformed into compost at their facility.
A few times a year, I get a free bag of compost and can order extra bags for my garden. They deliver it in burlap sacks right to my house. And guess what? The burlap is compostable!
They’re a wonderful company and resource. Plus, I love supporting a small business in my community.
I use Compost Collective KC.
They are excellent!
What I’ve noticed from many composting curbside services
is that there’s a sense of community
extended to the customers…
and a inclusive feeling that we’re all working together
to make things better for the earth.
Ultimate List of What Can Be Composted
Craft Supplies & Other Fibers
Lots of natural components can be sent straight to the compost bucket. But some can’t! So always read the instructions on what can be composted! Here are some materials that CAN be composted:
- Natural raffia, seagrass, jute, and burlap
- Traditional washi tape
- 100% natural cotton fabric (cut into small 6-inch pieces)
- Dryer lint (make sure it’s mostly natural fibers)
- Bamboo: Double check on things like bamboo toothbrushes. My dad just buries his bamboo toothbrush in the backyard!
Plant Stuff
Think houseplants, fallen petals, withered leaves, rotten bulbs, and succulents you couldn’t keep alive no matter how nice you were to them:
- Indoor plants: dead leaves, stems, stalks, potting soil
- Outside leaves
- Grass clippings
- Flowers
- Twigs
Food Scraps & Leftovers
What can be composted, food-wise? Everything! I didn’t realize how much lighter my traditional trashcan would get when I started composting. We throw away so many more compostable items than we think…so much so that sometimes our trash isn’t full by the end of the week.
- Veggies, fruits, meats, sandwiches
- Bread, buns, biscuits, rolls, and crackers
- Chips and other snack foods
- Grains
- Nuts
- Egg and eggshells
- Shellfish
- Chicken bones
- Coffee grounds
- Food scraps, peels, shells, seeds, apple cores, crusts
- Spoiled leftovers or expired takeout
- Sauces
- Spices
- Herbs
- Condiments
- Candy
- Desserts
- Casseroles
- Pasta
- Pudding
- Soups and stews
- Butter
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Yogurt
- Pickles, capers, olives
- Cheeses
- Peanut butter, jellies, and jams
- Baking ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cornmeal
- Pancake mix, muffin mix, biscuit mix
- Dog and cat food
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Paper Products
I’m sure I’m missing something here, so it’s always good to ask your compost service if you have specific questions!
- Paper towels
- Paper napkins
- Uncoated paper cups and plates
- Paper bags
- Facial tissues
- Shredded paper (no glossy or finished with a plastic coating)
- Pizza delivery boxes
- Cardboard
- Food stained paper products like paper sandwich boxes from McDonald’s
- Tea bags (remove staples)
- Coffee filters
- Paper towel and toilet paper rolls, including those made with bamboo
- Paper drink holders/carriers from fast food restaurants
Plant-Based Plastics
What can be composted? BPI® certified compostable plant-based plastics can! These types of products are becoming more prevalent, so keep on the lookout for new stuff being introduced.
- Coffee pods (BPI® certified compostable for a commercial or industrial composting facility): I use these compostable coffee pods that my composting service DOES accept.
- BPI® certified compostable trash bags: I use these compostable trash bags!
- Certified compostable cutlery (forks, spoons, knives) and party cups
- Certified compostable containers like these in-shower soap and shampoo containers by Ethique. If your compost service doesn’t accept them, you can bury them in your yard and they’ll decompose. The same goes for packaging from Earth Breeze. It’s biodegradable and quickly decomposes in your garden.
Compostable vs. Biodegradable
Some biodegradable items aren’t always accepted at compost facilities, so double check with your specific service! This is because all compostable items are biodegradable, but not all biodegradable items are compostable. Ugh, I know, right? Even things like chemicals or dyes in certain papers can prevent something from going into the compost. It’s a complicated world, but I’m here to help you with it!
Weird Stuff
Okay, not the most appealing things to collect, but if you’re really into composting, these things can be included!
- Dog and cat fur
- Human hair
- Fingernail clippings
- Compostable underwear: I’ve never tried this brand, but they make compostable underwear which should probably go under “what can composted!” Another brand I’d like to try uses natural dyes for their prints and every bit of their underwear and bras are compostable. They’re an Australian brand worth checking out!
What Can Be Composted: FAQ
Do you really think I’ll have enough scraps to justify composting?
I do! I didn’t realize how much of my garbage was stuff that could go into compost until I got my buckets! I do two buckets that get emptied by my service providers once a week.
What’s the majority of stuff you put in your buckets?
Bamboo paper towels + the rolls, leftovers, expired food, coffee grounds, compostable coffee pods, brown paper bags, non-coated shredded paper, pizza delivery boxes, random hairballs in my lint filter.
I feel like I just gave you the story of my life.
What if no one else in my home wants to compost?
This is a great question and a conundrum most of us have faced! I’d guess, firstly, it depends on who doesn’t want to compost! If your dog isn’t a fan because you’re spending 3.4 less seconds giving them your full attention, then I’d say sit down for a heart-to-heart and assure them they are loved more than they could know. Then, give them a treat because that’s what they really want.
This process can be implemented with some partners, too!
If you’re trying to teach kids composting, you could make it a fun game or challenge. Maybe create a points system and, when they’ve earned the designated number of points, they get a reward. Rewards could be:
- Dinner at a restaurant they love
- Staying up late to watch a movie
- Getting them their favorite candy
- A pool day
- Extended screen time
- Visit to a theme park or zoo
- New toy or accessory
- Exempt from chores for a day
- Donuts for breakfast
- Pizza night
Back to my dog, how can I keep them from rummaging through the compost?
Always use the lid or your little dumpster diver does have the potential to make a big mess! I know this because my sweet, little, angel schnoodle went wild in the compost one day.
How big are these compost buckets?
My compost bin is 13 inches tall, 10X10 wide and holds 4 gallons of waste. So, like a 4-gallon bucket!
Does composting make me feel better about the huge Costco spinach box I bought because my doctor told me to but I procrastinated eating it and then it went bad?
Why, yes, it does! If food does spoil or rot, it does feel better adding it to a responsible compost stream instead of dumping it in the trash. But, before we start tossing out everything, first try to manage what food you buy, so that less goes to waste.
Your Aunt Kat here is from a generation where we had to eat everything on our plate. It wasn’t about overeating…just not wasting! I do think it’s a good principle to consider because, yes, not everyone is lucky enough to waste food.
What about bugs and rodents? Does composting attract these? Because I’m not really here for that.
I’ve heard of this happening with flies, fruit flies, and gnats. I’ve never had this problem and I’ve been composting for a few years, but I think it’s always a good idea to keep the lid sealed tight when you’re not using it. Plus, make sure you empty it each week if you do the service OR frequently if you’re doing your own thing at home.
Listen, sister, I don’t have all day. What’s this gonna cost me?
For two compost bins and one pickup a week, I pay $38/month. Now, you can do only one bin or you can have two pickups a week, so it’ll vary most likely, depending on what your service provides.
I’ve always thought that local governments should work out a deal to give folks a discount on their trash and recycling if they compost through a provided service. But, why would anyone ever listen to ME?!! Anyway, maybe if you have enough neighbors who want to go in together, you could work out a plan with your HOA or city council.
How do I pick the right composting route for me?
It all depends on your lifestyle and level of laziness! Take this quick quiz:
Quiz:
My favorite past time:
A. Plant flowers as soon as the calendar says SPRING
B. Organize my ribbons by color, fabric, and length
C. Binge BritBox until I fall into a heavenly slumber
My yard is:
A. A sprawling stretch of land where I can roam and dream
B. Mostly the sidewalk, but sometimes my balcony
C. I’m not sure. I’ve never noticed my yard.
Open my fridge to:
A. A fully stocked array of homegrown veggies
B. Meals for the week, alphabetized, of course
C. Some yogurt, expired ketchup, and a bag of chips
If you picked mostly A’s:
Darling, you seem to love being outdoors in the sun-kissed light, digging in the dirt, and hearing the birds sing. You probably also have the room and some cool (or nonexistent) neighbors who’ll support your composting mission. You might enjoy creating your own backyard compost pile!
If you picked mostly B’s:
Sweetie, you’re a planner and organization expert at-heart. Basically, you’ve got it together and you know it! Because you run your cleaning routine on a schedule, it’s no problem to add one more tiny appliance to the mix. You might enjoy an electric composting machine!
If you picked mostly C’s:
Honey, you like your downtime, not just because it’s fun, but because you need it to recharge! You’re always busy and could use a little help decluttering here and there. You’d like to pat yourself on the back for starting a compost pile, but, oh, that might be a bonafide disaster! You might enjoy a composting service!
I’m a C! I’d love to say I could manage my own compost pile or effortlessly keep up with a counter machine, but I know myself by now and I’m like, “Bring on the service!’ Here’s what I think: Life’s hard. Get help if you need it.
What Can Be Composted: Wrap Up
By now, you’re an expert on what can be composted and which way you need to compost! I’m so proud of you! Please let me know in the comments what you found helpful or any of your composting tips.
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I really enjoyed your post. I have a countertop electric composter that I love. Just am limited to bones or lots of pasta/rice that clog it. Been using it about four years now, and my soil has thanked me. I turn the dehydrated food into the soil, and wait a couple weeks before planting. I’m hooked, and no longer but fertilizer or compost at all!
Thanks, Kristine! I’m glad you shared that! I’ve been so curious about the electric composters, but not sure I have the room on my counter or the determination to commit long-term, haha. But I’m so impressed with your system! That is awesome!
I totally agree that we can compost a lot of things with our local compost service. Checking up on city rules regarding composting is also pretty important as well.
Thank you for your note! Yes, I think every area is slightly different, but I’m so glad we’re being introduced to more options over time:-)
I don’t know much about compost, but I am glad I read your article because it taught me a lot. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Domii! I sort of got into it by accident and am glad to share what I’ve learned! I appreciate your kind note!