Let’s turn some trash into treasure… ehh, compost. We’re going to break down the benefits of composting, where to drop off food scraps, and how to compost from home.

We promise, it’s heaps of fun.

♻️ Composting 101

Did you know that compost is essentially a blend of recycled materials that decomposes into valuable (natural) fertilizer? Composted soil not only helps plants + crops grow strong, but it aids in eliminating extra methane in the air, which is toxic to the Earth's atmosphere.

🚮 Compostable items

There are two types of food waste that can be decomposed for compost. Green items give off nitrogen + brown items give the compost carbon, both of which help organisms thrive.

Green - Fruit, veggies, egg shells, coffee grounds, leftover food, and fresh garden waste
Brown - Dead or dry leaves, twigs + dead plants, shredded plain paper and cardboard, and sawdust

🏡 Composting at home

You don’t need a ton of space for this project. Find a dry spot, grab some Good Dirt + your compostable bits, and let the ground work its magic. Another option is to make a compost pile for leaves and grass clippings to decompose naturally (instead of bagging them and placing them by the road).

No backyard? No problem. Sign up to receive a CompostNow bin to be delivered to your front door. Gather your scaps + fill ‘er up — this weekly service picks up your medley, turns it into compost, and tracks your waste reduction and compost creation for a monthly fee.

Or, drop them off for free at one of the food waste collection centers below:

Convenience Center Site 4 | 3600 Yates Mill Pond Rd. | 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
Convenience Center Site 7 | 9024 Deponie Dr. | 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

🥬 Building a garden

Turn it up a notch — once you have your composted soil, mix it in with regular dirt to plant flowers + vegetables to help them flourish into a more aesthetically pleasing garden. The City of Raleigh’s Yard Waste Center sells organic mulch and pre-made compost (if you want immediate satisfaction).