the dirt on COMPOST 1 CVSWMD-compostbooklet-2019.indd 1 3/25/19 3:58 PM WHAT IS COMPOST? In a forest, leaves, logs, and dead animals pile up, rot, and make fertile soil. It happens naturally. Home composting is a way to Did you know? manage this process; either in a passive, hands-off manner, mimicking the natural Almost 20 percent of all Vermonters’ landfilled waste is food scraps that could process of the fores��oor; or by adding have been composted.1 inputs and turning material regularly to If thrown in the hasten the process. trash, they release methane, a greenhouse In this booklet, we’ll describe gas at least 34 many ways to compost food times more scraps in your backyard. There powerful than carbon dioxide2, are a few key ingredients and a while decomposing variety of approaches to make the in the anaerobic process go smoothly. Whether you have conditions of a landfill. never composted before, or you’re a 20-year 1. DSM Environmental Services, prepared for Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Solid Waste composting conqueror, you’l��nd tips and Program, 2018 Vermont Waste Characterization Study: dec.vermont.gov/sites/dec/files/wmp/SolidWaste/ strategies to help you along. Documents/2018-VT-Waste-Characterization.pdf 2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2013 Working Group Assessment Report: climatechange2013.org/ images/uploads/WGIAR5_WGI-12Doc2b_FinalDraft_All.pdf 2 CVSWMD-compostbooklet-2019.indd 2 3/25/19 3:58 PM VERMONT’S UNIVERSAL RECYCLING LAW Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law, Act 148, passed unanimously in 2012. The law changed Vermont's waste management system in several ways, including banning all food scraps from the landfill starting July 1, 2020. This mandate refers to all Vermonters—businesses, grocery stores, schools, offices, cities, events, and residents. Backyard composting is an inexpensive, fun, and simple way to create a wonderful soil amendment for your lawn and garden while keeping your household in compliance with the law. This booklet will help you get started (or improve) composting in your Pro Tips backyard, but if you don’t have the space, or can’t do it for any reason, there are other options, including: SAVE YOUR LEAVES! If you compost at home, store • All Vermont’s transfer stations, bag drops, and your leaves (or your fast trashes accept food scraps, often for a fee. neighbors') in an old trash can or pile • In some parts of Vermont, food scrap haulers will next to your backyard bin. There, they'll pick up from residences for a fee. be easy to mix in with your food scraps. • Food scraps can be dropped off at many Save leaves in bags or bins in a shed or commercial compost companies. garage for easy winter access. • Join (or start) a neighborhood community FREEZE IT! If you are holding onto food composting site and learn to make compost scraps to drop off together to apply on a community garden. somewhere, keep them in • Share space with a neighbor! Invite your neighbors a bag in your freezer to to join you in composting in your backyard, or see if eliminate smells. If you someone near you will let you bring your food scraps compost at home, dump to them. Gardeners love having extra compost. your kitchen compost pail every 2 days and you won’t even notice it’s there! For a low maintenance system, cover your kitchen pail, dump it once a week, and wash it regularly. 3 CVSWMD-compostbooklet-2019.indd 3 3/25/19 3:58 PM GETTING STARTED If you are new to composting, start with a self-assessment: • How much SPACE do you have? Can I compost meat? Best practice is keep meat and bones out of • How much TIME do you have? the compost. Doing so will keep odors down and wildlife at bay. You still have several options for meat and bones: • How much ENERGY do you have? • Use a green cone (learn more at cvswmd. org/green-cones). • Drop off meat scraps at a local transfer • How much do you care about station or commercial composting producing QUALITY COMPOST facility. (versus finding a convenient way to • Bury bones in your garden by digging 18” -2’ deep and covering with soil. keep food scraps out of the trash)? • Add to trash (Act 148 does not ban meat • How will you USE the compost you scraps from the landfill for home- create? On a lawn or garden? For composters; it does for businesses). trees or shrubs? See local food scrap drop-off options at: https://anrmaps.vermont.gov/ Keep your answers to these questions in websites/Organics/default.html mind as you think about the kind of system that makes the most sense for you and your lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if you cold-compost, hot-compost, or anywhere in between, as long as it works for you! 4 CVSWMD-compostbooklet-2019.indd 4 3/25/19 3:58 PM Pro Tip Remember to remove WHAT GOES IN? PLU stickers, twist Carbon to ties, and elastic bands nitrogen WHAT STAYS OUT? from food scraps ratio: before composting. why it Anything that has ever been alive can be matters composted. That includes vegetable peels, coffee grounds, leaves, egg shells, dairy, citrus peels, small sticks, Food scraps turn into leaves, wood chips, etc. Start by keeping meat scraps out of your compost because compost bin, but there are options (such as transfer station microorganisms break drop-offs or a green cone) for those as well. them down. These microorganisms need What goes in? • Wood shavings the right balance of or chips nitrogen and carbon in Greens and Browns their food. "Greens" • Shredded newspaper, have lots of nitrogen “Green” ingredients are wetter and cardboard, office paper nitrogen rich, such as food scraps, and "browns" have lots grass clippings, or fresh plant parts. What stays out? of carbon, so to achieve the ideal Greens are: • Meat, bones, fish scraps (unless carbon to nitrogen • Fruit and vegetable scraps you are a pro) ratio, keep a stock pile • Coffee grounds and tea bags • Yard plants that seem diseased of dry leaves or wood • Grass and shrubbery clippings — when in doubt, leave it out shavings near your (make a separate pile away compost bin. • Green yard plant parts, such as from your garden) yard waste or weeds • Anything treated with “Brown” ingredients provide carbon. pesticides For every bucket of Add three times as many browns as • Weeds that have gone to seed food scraps you dump greens to your pile for a 3:1 ratio. • Pet waste, which can carry in your compost bin, add three containers of Browns are: diseases (you can use a green dry browns. The dry • Dead plants, weeds and cone for pet waste) clippings browns also help keep • Cut flowers from a florist (these the pile fluffier, which • Leaves (raked in fall) contain fungicides, which can lets more air into the • Small sticks slow or stop the composting center of the pile. 5 • Straw and hay process) CVSWMD-compostbooklet-2019.indd 5 3/25/19 3:58 PM 8 TYPES OF COMPOST CONTAINERS 1. The Pit 2. The Trench 3. The Trash Can 4. The Pallet Bin Dig a hole at least 1 foot deep; Same idea as The Pit, but you A great option for winter. Use a Get three loading pallets from a throw your food scraps into start by digging a trench 1-2 lidded trash bin. Drill 1” holes local warehouse or grocery it; cover with soil and you feet deep, typically within a about 12” apart evenly around store. Wire them together at the are finished. You can plant garden. Add food scraps and the bin to promote airflow. Start corners leaving one side open. on top of the compost pit cover as you go, slowly filling the bin with “browns” such as Add onto this to create a 2- or almost immediately. More info: in the trench one day at a time. leaves or wood shavings. Add 3- bin system. Line the bottom wikihow.com/Make-a-Compost- Once you’ve filled and covered food scraps and alternate with and sides of the bin with ¼” or Pit. the trench, plant seeds or browns. Cover tightly and roll ½” hardware cloth and add a transplants directly on it. on its side weekly. If using only hardware cloth lined pallet door PROS: Easy peasy! No pile More info: instructables.com/id/ for winter, dump contents into and lid to deter animals. More turning, no need for a supply of Trench-compost. your compost bin in the spring. info: instructables.com/id/ browns. Good for small spaces, If not, continue adding material Pallet-Compost-Bin. gardeners, people who don’t like PROS: Easy, perfect for until bin is full, then let sit for to manage a full pile. gardeners and small spaces; 2-3 months before harvesting. PROS: Inexpensive and easy; CONS: Must dig a new pit can continually add plants More info: thebalance.com/how- start composting right away. regularly. Digging isn’t an option throughout growing season. to-make-a-compost-bin-from- Built-in aeration due to gaps in in winter. CONS: Must dig a new trench a-garbage-can-1388581. pallet construction. regularly. Digging isn’t an option CONS: Easy access for pests in winter. PROS: Great way to compost unless using hardware cloth. in winter, easy and inexpensive. Must manage compost pile Keeps food scraps contained with adequate “browns” and before adding to a bigger pile. turn regularly to deter animals. CONS: Food scraps may not Basic steps for composting fully compost.