Tips From the MNBP Waste Management and Diversion Committee
Submitted by Jacqui Wakefield, on behalf of the MNBP Waste Management and Diversion Committee
Why?
There are three important reasons to compost at home!
First, backyard composting is an excellent way to reduce the amount of garbage taking precious space in our landfills! Food wastes are estimated to contribute about one-third of all our garbage. If we can reduce our trash by that amount, we save landfill capacity and taxpayer dollars.
Second, the compost itself is a rich nutrient-filled material that enriches soil, helps hold moisture and suppresses plant diseases and pests. It encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi and provides a supply of free fertilizer for garden soil. In addition, compost continues to promote plant growth for years.
Third, the decomposition of food and other organic waste in our landfills release climate change gases — particularly methane. This greenhouse gas is over 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide and very harmful to the environment! In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, studies have shown that plants grow more rapidly in soil supplemented with compost, pulling carbon dioxide out of the air.
HOW to compost?
Experienced gardeners have made many helpful suggestions in previous editions of this paper:
(1) build or buy a compost bin with a proper base,
(2) layer the compost ingredients with a variety of food and plant materials, and
(3) stir or turn over frequently. If you need a bin, the Municipality still has a small supply available at the Municipal offices and the landfill sites at a reasonable price.
What can I compost?
-Vegetable trimmings and scraps, fruit peels and scraps
-Egg shells
-Tea bags, coffee grounds and paper filters
-Leaves, grass clippings, plant material
-Shredded paper and newsprint
-Hair and dryer lint
What should I NOT compost?
-Meat, fish, bones
-Fats and oils
-Dairy products, including cheese
-Pasta, rice and cereal
Caution: These items can attract hungry critters!
The Perfect Compost Recipe
Greens: Nitrogen-rich “greens” (eg, kitchen vegetable scraps, plant material) provide the raw material that bacteria and fungi need to do the major work in your compost bin.
Browns: Carbon-rich “browns” are vital to creating healthy, odourless compost. “Go big on browns”— a rule of thumb is to put in two to four parts brown materials for every one part green materials. This gives the best carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in your home compost. Browns include fallen leaves, straw, newspaper (shredded or torn into narrow strips), non-greasy paper towels or napkins, cardboard (toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, corrugated cardboard torn into small pieces), and paper coffee filters.
Tips:
• For easy kitchen clean-up, line your compost bucket with a paper bag, paper towel or newspaper. Everything can be emptied into your outdoor composter.
• Cut up kitchen scraps and plant material (about the size of a finger), so the items will break down more quickly.
• Put “browns” on top of each layer of vegetable-fruit-plant materials (“greens”). If you can get them, fallen dry leaves are excellent!
• From time-to-time, add some soil to introduce bio-organisms that contribute to a faster composting process.
• Stir or turn the layers periodically to be sure oxygen gets to the agents that do the decomposing work: beneficial bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and worms. They will survive only with adequate air. Not enough air, and/or too much moisture, results in compaction rather than decomposing – with bad smells!
• Avoid overloading the compost with fruit peels and scraps.
•If your compost is covered, it can absorb a lot of moisture, so add water periodically when it is getting dry.
Note: If you use the compost only for flowers and shrubs, you can add small amounts of pet waste. However, most experts recommend NOT doing this if the compost is used for vegetables, as the compost needs to get very hot to kill any potentially harmful germs or parasites in the poop.
Confusing Labelling:
• Biodegradable does not mean compostable. Biodegradable products are made from mostly natural components. However, they take much longer to break down and can leave behind microplastics and toxins. Cannot be composted or recycled – must be put in waste.
• Products and packaging labelled “compostable” are made from plants or other organic matter. While they break down safely and more quickly (about 80 days in the high heat of industrial composting), they often will not break down in backyard composters. On a positive note, even if we must put these into waste, such products have the least environmental impact in landfills and eventually break down into safe natural elements.
Worried about bears?
Despite the benefits, many residents are hesitant because of the fear of attracting bears or other critters. The good news is that the key to safe composting can be summed up in two words: odour free. If your compost smells, it often will attract bears, other critters and birds! However, if you follow the directions above, local critters should not be attracted to your composter.
Ensure that you have nothing else on your property that might attract a bear. It may not be the compost that encourages a bear to visit. A bird feeder, an unlocked garbage tote or outdoor pet food could be the invitation for a bear – and your compost might be an innocent victim in the bear’s search for other food.
If you are still uneasy and you would compost kitchen waste mainly, alternatives to a backyard composter are vermiculture (worm composting) or a “green cone” digester.
Bottom Line?
Keeping compostable food and plant waste out of our landfills is a high priority – for many good reasons. Let’s take waste reduction to the next level and benefit our gardens and our environment at the same time!
