NO - To make paper glossy, a plastic ink/resin is used to fill in the fibers of paper, and these ingredients can be toxic to humans. If there's a glare on the box when you hold it in the light near your eye, then it likely can't be composted.

NO - Fruit and vegetable stickers are usually made of plastic. Don't forget to throw the sticker away before composting your peels!

NO - PLA is a plant based plastic resin that is advertised as compostable. Unfortunately, these plastics require more heat and mechanical decomposition than we can provide at the SCC.

NO - The density of the fibers in a wooden utensil (even the thin ones) breaks down slower than most of the other materials in the compost bin. Often when a utensil disappears from the bin, it's more likely that someone else has just simply removed it. Unless you can shred it smaller then lentils, don't add it please!

NO - When there's too much oil in the compost bin, the microbes have a hard time getting oxygen. It also makes the materials hydrophobic, or repel water. Without oxygen or water, the microorganisms that we want to keep alive slow down and can be overrun by anaerobic, smelly, slow-working ones.

YES - Many fruit or nut casings are biodegradable in our bins, but because they can be fibrous, smaller pieces are ideal. Consider crushing these items smaller then a pea!

TBD

TBD