What to Compost and What to Avoid

While many food and yard waste items can be composted instead of being thrown away, some food and yard items can negatively impact the balance of your compost pile by altering the temperature, upsetting the pH balance, or attracting pests.

Click on the items in the accordion to learn more about organic items that you should and should not compost.

Text in the accordion below comes from the Environmental Protection Agency (n.d.).

Check for Understanding

Answer the questions to check your understanding of what material you can compost and what you should avoid.

References

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). EPA. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home

What’s not compostable? 33 things you can’t compost at home. Sustainable Jungle. (2021, April 25). Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.sustainablejungle.com/zero-waste/whats-not-compostable/