What It Means
Composting is collecting food scraps and yard waste and letting them break down into compost, a dark, rich material you can mix into garden soil. EPA describes a home pile as a mix of browns, such as dead leaves and shredded paper, and greens, such as fruit and vegetable scraps and coffee grounds. Some things stay out of a home pile because they smell, draw pests, or can carry disease or chemicals into the finished compost.
Try It: Compost It or Keep It Out?
Sort each item. The answers come from EPA's "Composting At Home".
Right. A green.
They go in. EPA counts them as a green.
Right. A brown.
It goes in. EPA counts it as a brown.
Right. Meat and bones cause odors and draw pests.
Keep them out. EPA says they cause odors and draw rodents and flies.
Right. Pet waste can carry parasites and germs.
Keep it out. EPA says pet waste may carry parasites, bacteria and viruses harmful to people.
Right. A brown.
They go in, unless they're from a black walnut tree.
Right. It may contain substances harmful to plants.
Keep it out. EPA says coal or charcoal ash may harm plants.
How It Sounds at Home
- "Peels go in the compost bucket, not the trash."
- "Grab a bag of leaves for the pile."
- "Don't put the leftover chicken in there."
The Breakdown
How to start (EPA)
- Pick a spot outside for the pile or bin. The spot and the bin type are your choice; EPA's page describes home piles.
- Keep a steady supplyMilk supplyHow much breast milk a parent's body makes. It's driven by supply and demand: the more often milk is removed, the more the body makes. See more of browns, such as dead leaves, twigs and shredded paper, in an area outside.
- Collect fruit and vegetable scraps and coffee grounds in a closed container on the counter, under the sink, or in the fridge or freezer.
- Add scraps to the pile along with browns so the two are mixed.
- Leave out everything on EPA's keep-out list below.
- Check the bottom of the pile. When it's dark and rich in color, the compost is ready, which EPA says usually takes two months to two years.
Try it today. Set a lidded container by the sink and put tonight's vegetable peels and coffee grounds in it.
What stays out, and why (EPA)
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Meat or fish bones and scraps; dairy products and eggs; fats, grease, lard or oils | Odor problems, and they draw pests such as rodents and flies |
| Pet wastes, such as dog or cat feces and soiled cat litter | May carry parasites, bacteria, germs and viruses harmful to people |
| Black walnut tree leaves or twigs; coal or charcoal ash | May release or contain substances harmful to plants |
| Diseased or insect-ridden plants | Diseases or insects may survive and spread to other plants |
| Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides | May kill the organisms that do the composting |
Good to Know
Many cities run their own food scrap or yard waste collection with their own rules about what they take, so check with your city or county before you start. That tip is Buhata's; EPA's guidance above covers home piles only.
FAQ
What can't you put in compost?
EPA lists meat and fish scraps, dairy and eggs, fats and oils, pet waste, black walnut leaves or twigs, coal or charcoal ash, diseased or insect-ridden plants, and yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides.
How long does compost take?
EPA says compost is usually ready in anywhere from two months to two years. It's ready when the material at the bottom is dark and rich in color.
What are browns and greens in composting?
Browns are materials like dead leaves, twigs, shredded paper, cardboard, straw and sawdust. Greens include grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps and coffee grounds.
Do It in Buhata
Household Notes and Tasks with a repeat
Write what goes in the compost and what stays out in Household Notes, and add "Empty the scrap bucket" as a Task with a repeat.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Recycling
Collecting used materials such as paper, cardboard, glass and some plastics so they can be processed and made into new products.
- Home garden
A garden at home where a household grows some of its own vegetables, herbs or fruit, in the ground, in raised beds or in containers.
- Garbage disposal cleaning
Keeping a sink garbage disposal clean and odor-free by using it often, scrubbing under the rubber baffle, and grinding only food.
- Trash can cleaning
Washing out a kitchen or outdoor trash can on a schedule, with a method that suits what the can is made of, to stop smells and grime building up.
Sources
US EPA, "Composting At Home"; US EPA, "Composting At Home" (archived 2021 snapshot)
Last updated .