Composting is a natural process through which organic material is converted into a soil-like product called compost or humus (pronounced "hue-mous"). The process works with the help of micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi combined with air and moisture.
Composting is an important way to recycle and can be done at home. It is an easy way to reduce the amount of household garbage by about one third. As well, it produces a valuable soil amendment for use in gardening and landscaping.
What's In the Mix?
Most household organic waste can be composted at home. For backyard or home composting to work best, it is important to use selected material including:
From the Garden...
- Leaves (chopped - to speed their breakdown)
- Grass (not wet)
- Plants & Weeds (without ripe seeds)
- Old potting soil
- Soft plant stems
From the Kitchen..
- Fruit scraps
- Vegetable trimmings
- Egg shells (crushed)
- Tea bags
- Coffee grounds with filters
- Shredded paper
DO NOT include...
- meat, fish and bones, plastics, metals, fats and oils, dairy products, pet waste, cheese, meat or other sauces.