Embedded Files
Composting is the process of turning organic matter into fertilizer that can enrich soil and help plants to grow.
Composting has many benefits. It decreases reduces the methane emissions that come from landfills. Normally, organic matter is broken down by organisms that require oxygen. When it is placed in a landfill, the oxygen supply is cut off as the waste becomes buried. Thus, it is broken down by organisms that do not require oxygen, which releases methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
Composting also reduces food waste, conserves water, and improves soil quality. Using compost as fertilizer can help soil to retain more water, meaning less is necessary to water plants and more can be conserved. Compost contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the nutrients that fertilize crops. Compost makes soil more productive, and it can also reduce erosion.
What can be composted?
Should compost
Should compost
Egg shells
Coffee grounds
Coffee filters
Fruits and vegetables
Cardboard
Grass clippings and yard waste
Hay and straw
Fur and hair
Leaves
Newspaper (rip into shreds first)
Tea bags
House plants
Nut shells
Cotton rags (pure cotton only)
Paper
Fireplace ash (natural wood only)
Should not compost
Should not compost
Eggs
Dairy products
Fats, grease, or lard
Oils
Meat or fish
Bones
Pet feces or litter
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
Coal or charcoal ash
Yard trimmings that have been treated with chemicals
Diseased or infested plants
Paper is compostable, but make sure you rip it into small pieces first. Also, only uncoated paper can be composted. Some paper is coated in plastic and cannot be composted.
Paper towels can be composted unless they are covered in something on the should not compost list, such as butter or egg.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse