There are lots of good reasons to compost. Save money, save resources, improve your soil and reduce your impact on the environment. Regardless of your reasons, composting is a win/win scenario. Good for you and good for the environment.
Composting when done right can divert 40% of waste heading to the landfill.
The best way to describe what can be composted is first to describe what CAN NOT BE COMPOSTED
GENERAL RULE:
“IF IT GREW AT SOME POINT THEN IT IS COMPOSTABLE”
IF IT POTENTIALLY CONTAINS CHEMICALS, CLEANERS, OIL, PLASTIC, METAL OR GLASS THEN IT IS NOT COMPOSTABLE
DO NOT INCLUDE
❌ NO CURTAINS
❌ NO CARPETS
❌ NO CLOTHES
❌ NO BEDDING
❌ NO LOGS
❌ NO Landscaping Material
❌ NO polish
❌ NO WOOD with NAILS
❌ NO FURNITURE
❌ NO PLASTIC packaging
❌ NO STYROFOAM
❌ NO CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL
❌ NO BAR OR RE-BAR
❌ NO CERAMIC TILES
❌ NO STEEL
❌ NO OLD CABINETS
❌ NO RENOVATION MATERIALS
❌ NO Shiny (GLOSSY) magazines
❌ NO APPLIANCES
❌ NO Paper or Cardboard with Plastic OR Tape, Staples or Duct Tape
❌ NO glossy Printed Cardboard
❌ NO ROCKS
❌ NO BRICKS
❌ NO STONES
❌ NO GLASS
❌ NO STEEL, METAL, Cans or Aluminum
❌ NO Metallic Containers
❌ NO CHEMICALS of any description
❌ NO HYPODERMIC SYRINGES OR NEEDLES
❌ NO PILL BOTTLES OR MEDICATIONS
❌ NO SANITARY PRODUCTS MALE OR FEMALE
❌ NO OIL
❌ NO Toilet Cleaners,
❌ NO SOAP or DETERGENT
❌ NO CLEANERS IN GENERAL
❌ NO PAINT
❌ NO Car PARTS
❌ NO PLASTIC of any kind
❌ NO PLASTIC or CERAMIC PLANT POTS
❌ NO PLASTIC FLOWERS
❌ NO Shopping bags
Recycle Products ARE NOT COMPOSTABLE LEARN THE DIFFERENCE!
The City is taking this matter seriously – we are inspecting carts and tagging those with non-compostable materials. Failure to comply with composting directions may result in a $500 fine.
WHAT CAN BE INCLUDED
ANYTHING that has been GROWN, or is, or was FOOD
IF YOU ARE NOT SURE THEN PUT IT IN THE TRASH!
From the Bathroom
✅ Used facial tissues
✅ Toilet paper rolls
✅ Old loofahs
✅ Nail clippings
✅ 100% Cotton, cotton balls
✅ Cotton swabs made from 100% cotton and cardboard (not plastic) sticks
From the Laundry Room
✅ Dryer lint
From the Office
✅ Bills and other documents you've shredded
✅ Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
✅ Pencil shavings
✅ Sticky notes
✅ Business cards (as long as they're not glossy)
✅ Receipts
Around the House
✅ Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
Pet-Related
✅ Fur from the dog or cat brush
✅ Cat litter – organic /flushable – NO GRIT BASED PRODUCT
✅ Dog “poo” bag – use ONLY compostable bags
✅ Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
✅ Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the birdcage
✅ Feathers
✅ Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
✅ Rawhide dog chews
✅ Fish food
✅ Dry or wet dog or cat food
Garden
✅ Grass clippings
✅ Twigs and clippings UP TO 1” ONLY. NO LOGS
✅ WASTE GARDEN PRODUCE
✅ APPLES ETC.
✅ OLD POTTED PLANTS OUT OF THE POT!
✅ Dead plants OUT OF POT!
✅ Dog “poo” bag – use ONLY compost
Kitchen/Household
✅ Food waste
✅ Chicken carcass
✅ Diapers – Eco-friendly - compostable
✅ Meat products – raw or cooked – including bones
✅ Coffee grounds and filters WITHOUT PLASTIC ATTACHED – These are not compostable – McDonald’s and Kurig ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE
✅ Teabags
✅ Used paper napkins
✅ Pizza boxes ripped into smaller pieces
✅ Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
✅ The crumbs you sweep off of the counters and floors
✅ Plain cooked pasta
✅ Plain cooked rice
✅ Stale bread
✅ Paper towel rolls
✅ Stale saltine crackers
✅ Stale cereal
✅ Used paper plates (as long as they don't have a waxy coating)
✅ Cellophane bags (be sure it's really Cellophane and not just clear plastic—there's a difference.)
✅ Old herbs and spices
✅ Pizza crusts
✅ Any paper or cardboard packaging if it is wet or soiled – NOT SHINY PRINTED THOUGH
✅ Wine corks
✅ Mouldy cheese
✅ Melted ice cream
✅ Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
✅ Leaves trimmed from houseplants
✅ Dead houseplants and their soil
✅ Flowers from floral arrangements
✅ Natural potpourri
✅ Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit
✅ Paper table cloths
✅ Crepe paper streamers
✅ Raffia
✅ Excelsior
✅ Jack o' Lanterns
✅ Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall
✅ Your Christmas tree. Chop it up to fit in the bin
✅ Evergreen garlands – No WIRE!!!
✅ Old jelly, jam, or preserves
✅ Stale beer and wine
✅ Paper egg cartons
✅ Toothpicks
✅ Paper cupcake or muffin cups
