How much food waste do you generate at home? Even if it doesn’t feel like a lot, waste in a big city can add up. In 2019, the city estimated that Philadelphia generated 214,000 tons of food waste each year. Composting is one way to help reduce the waste we send to our landfills.
Why Compost
The benefits go beyond having less trash to haul out each week. Adding compost to your soil can balance soil density (if it’s too loose or too tight), enrich it with nutrients like nitrogen and potassium, absorb water, and prevent pests and weeds from encroaching. This can help your plants and veggies grow healthier.
When To Compost
What to do with your compost depends on the season you’re working in. The fall is a good time to start your compost due to the abundance of organic materials such as fallen leaves, dead plants, and leftovers from the end of the harvest season. So instead of bagging up those leaves after raking them, consider giving those leaves a second purpose!
By starting in the fall, the compost can mature over the winter and be ready to be added to your garden right before planting begins in the spring. If the compost is good to go by the autumn season, it doesn’t hurt to add some to your soil as the soil recovers over the winter.
If you start your compost during the warmer months, the heat will help the materials break down – but be careful not to let your compost dry out.
What Is Compostable
What’s considered compostable depends if you’re composting at home, or giving your scraps away to a service. According to the EPA, compostable materials are separated into two categories: greens (nitrogen-rich materials) and browns (carbon-rich materials).
Greens include:
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Grass clippings
- Coffee grounds and paper filters
- Paper tea bags (sans staples)
- Crushed eggshells
Browns include:
- Dry leaves
- Twigs
- Shredded brown paper bags
- Shredded cardboard without glue, tape, or a coating
- Untreated wood chips
Here are other items you might not typically think about composting, like pet fur. You may want to avoid including items such as meats, bones, and grease that risk attracting animals or take longer to break down.
How To Store Your Compost
If you can compost at home, where you store compost depends on how much you need and how much space you have.
If you’re a Philadelphian who has access to a backyard, you can purchase a bin or build one, then fill it with two to three parts “browns” and one part “greens,” plus some water to keep it moist. You can use a worm bin if you live in an apartment or a space without a large yard.
Where To Take Your Compostables in Philly
If you don’t have the space to do much with your own compost, you can always pass it along to someone who can.
Clean, separated compost materials can be dropped off at the Fairmount Park Organic Recycling Center for a fee. This includes leaves, grass clippings, and woodchips. Prices range based on the material and by the ton, but there is a $15 minimum.
There are two Philly-area composting services, Bennett Compost and Circle Compost. Each requires a subscription fee. Members receive a bucket to fill for coordinated weekly pickup. If you live in the suburbs, check out Mother Compost.
There are local community gardens and organizations serving as public drop-off sites through the Community Compost Network, including:
Check the organizations' guidelines before dropping off materials to see what compostables are accepted and whether they require membership.
