What Can I Compost?

What can I put in my compost pile? -Beth

If your compost pile is heating up properly, you can put all kinds of things in there. Be sure that everything you put in your compost pile is in pieces smaller than 1-2 inches. Shredded and chopped items break down must faster than whole pieces.

Here’s a list of compostable items, including a few that might surprise you.

Yard and Garden Debris

Dead plants
Extra potting soil
Grass clippings
Leaves
Old cotton or leather gloves
Peat moss
Pine needles
Pruning debris, limbs, and branches
Rock dust
Sawdust
Seaweed
Straw and hay
Wood chips

Kitchen Scraps

Fresh or rotten produce including peelings, rinds, cores, stems, and leaves
Breads, grains, cereals, and flours
Canned fruits and veggies
Coffee grounds and paper filters
Corn cobs
Crackers and pasta
Egg shells
Fish bones and skins (if well buried)
Freezer-burned fruits and veggies
Ground-up animal bones
Herbs and spices
Gelatin
Jams and preserves
Milk, yogurt, and ice cream (although these may attract hungry animals)
Nut shells and husks

Paperboard (such as cereal and pasta boxes)
Popcorn
Rice
Seafood shells
Shredded paper towels and napkins
Soy products
Tea bags and loose tea
Toothpicks
Wine and beer
Cork wine corks
Wooden skewers

Household Waste

Compostable forks, cups, plates, etc (look for these in the store!)
Cotton balls
Cotton swabs (if made of paper)
Crumbs and dustpan contents
Crushed seashells
Dead bugs
Dried flowers and potpourri
Dryer lint
Dust bunnies
Felt
Fireplace ashes (in small amounts)
Floral arrangements
Hair clippings (also good in the garden as critter repellent)
Houseplant trimmings and old potting soil
Tissue

Leather
Loofah sponges
Matches
Nail clippings
Rope (natural fiber)
Shavings from your pencil sharpener
Vacuum bag dust
White glue and paste
Wool, linen and cotton
Wreaths, garland, and Christmas trees (real, not artificial)

Paper

Shred these paper items and add to your compost pile or recycle bin.

Business cards
Cardboard
Egg cartons
Envelopes (remove plastic windows)
Muffin cups
Newspaper
Office paper
Paper plates (unwaxed)
Paperboard (such as cereal boxes, toilet paper rolls, etc.)
Post-It Notes
Ticket stubs

Pet and Animal Waste

Dry pet food
Feathers
Manure from herbivores (cows, horses, rabbits, etc)
Pet hair
Wood chips from pet cages

Compost Cautions

These items should NOT be added to your compost pile:

Aluminum foil, plastic bags, and other inorganic packaging
Chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, bleach, gasoline, and oils
Cooked foods*

Bread, yes – package, no.

Diapers
Diseased plants
Glossy or heavily dyed paper
Grease and fat*
Kitty litter*
Manure from meat-eating animals (dogs, cats, humans)*
Mayonnaise and peanut butter*
Meat scraps*
Particle board
Treated lumber
Whole bones*

*Meat and protein wastes are generally not recommended for home composting because they can smell, contain disease causing bacteria, and attract pests. However, with caution and the right composting system, you can compost almost any plant or animal waste. For more information, see How to Compost Cooked Foods, Meat, and Dairy.

Further Information

Julie

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Please Leave a Comment

4 Comments on “What Can I Compost?”

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Joyce Says:
February 1st, 2010 at 1:36 pm

Explain about the leather.

Thank you.
Julie Day Says:
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 am

Leather is a natural material that can be composted, but because of the tanning process (which is meant to preserve it), it can take a long time to break down. Things like old gardening gloves, watch bands, and the occasional belt or wallet should do OK if chopped into small pieces. Large, thick pieces of leather (saddles, hats, etc) might need to be shredded and added to the pile in small amounts.
Dinesh Says:
April 8th, 2010 at 12:55 pm

Can you explain more re: why “cooked foods” should not be composted?

I run a Green Buying Co-op and we have a blog that often speaks to composting. I’m fairly well versed in what can and can’t be composted, but I’d never heard of “cooked foods” having to stay out of the compost before.
Julie Day Says:
April 16th, 2010 at 4:28 pm

Dinesh, you bring up a good point! The “no cooked foods” rule is a general guideline, mainly because 1) Vegetables are often cooked with oil, butter, or meat; and 2) Cooked foods are sometimes smellier and more attractive to scavengers. However, if your compost pile has enough heat and aeration, you can compost almost anything. More information can be found at How To Compost Cooked Foods, Meats, and Dairy, and a link has been added to the article.

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