What to Compost and What Not to: A List of 100+ Items

Making your own compost is awesome! But, there are a bunch of rules about what can be composted when and in what situation. There's really too much to remember it all for a single person. Luckily for you, we've created a detailed guide on what can be composted and what cannot be composted.

Because we know some of the specifics can get confusing, we've also added a FAQ section to answer your most pressing composting questions. We'd suggest giving the guide a full read your first time around, but if you want to use this as a quick-check reference in the future, you can use one of these handy links to jump ahead:

• What can and cannot be composted?
• What food scraps can be composted?
• What household items can be composted?
• What office items can you compost?
• What animal and pet waste can you compost?
• What yard and garden waste can be composted?
• Creating a balanced compost: get your C to N ratio right!
• 7 FAQs on composting and compostable items

For those of you coming in brand new to composting, let's start with a few common examples of items that should and should not be composted!

What can and cannot be composted?

What is compostable is organic waste, while inorganic waste isn't compostable. This essentially means any waste that was once, or has come from, living things can be composted. That includes food, plants, and waste from our bodies (such as hair). However, there are some limitations on what can be composted.

The types of organic waste that can be composted depends on many factors, including the method of composting you choose. But, in general, here are some common examples of what to put in compost and what not to throw in your compost bin:

Compostable Items	Non-Compostable Items
Fruit and vegetable scraps Coffee grounds Cardboard Paper towel Chicken manure Paper Grass clippings Shredded twigs	Dairy products Meat and bones Wax paper Diapers Dog & cat poop Glossy or coated paper Diseased plants Chemical-treated yard trimmings

 

Although everything in that table is organic waste, there are some good examples of what not to compost. Each of those not compostable materials will cause some sort of problem in your backyard composting pile.

For example, meat and dairy products can technically be composted, but they're likely to smell terrible and attract pests that you don't want anywhere near your home. There are also bacterial concerns with meat products you don't want to introduce to your garden beds.

What food scraps can be composted?

Most food scraps can be safely composted, but there are of course some exceptions. 

For some specifics, here's a table of what food waste can be composted and what food waste you should avoid composting. We’ve also included a column to let you know if the waste is considered green or brown pre-compost. This is important to keep in mind as you need a good amount of both types, but we’ll be discussing that in more detail later.

Food Item	Compostable?	Brown vs Green	Other Considerations
Banana peels	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Coffee grounds	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Tea leaves	✔	Green
Bread	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Corn husks	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Grains	✔	Green
Legumes	✔	Green
Cooked pasta	✔	Green
Cooked rice	✔	Green
Tofu	✔	Green
Liquids	✔	Green	Only use a small amount to not make your compost too wet
Seaweed	✔	Green
Herbs and spices	✔	Green
Old preserves	✔	Green
Watermelon Rind	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Pineapple	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Egg shells	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Coffee filters	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Tea bags	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Orange peels	𝗫	N/A	Too acidic
Lemon Peels	𝗫	N/A	Too acidic
Onions	𝗫	N/A	Can kill good microorganisms in compost
Meat scraps	𝗫	N/A	See this article for more details
Dairy products	𝗫	N/A	See this article for more details
Pistachio shells	𝗫	N/A	See this article for more details
Bones	𝗫	N/A	Can attract pests
Very greasy & fatty foods	𝗫	N/A	Can attract pests
Fruit pits	𝗫	N/A	Takes a very long time to break down

One exception is that you don't want to compost a bunch of acidic organic waste, especially citrus peels. This will make your finished compost too acidic, which you then won't want to use in your plants.

You'll also want to steer clear of organic waste that will take far too long to compost compared to the rest of the food scraps in your compost bins. This includes waste like hard bones and fruit pits. It's also important to crush scrap like egg shells or they'll also take too long to compost.

 

 

What household items can be composted?

Your kitchen scraps aren't the only compostable waste coming from your home. Whether you've thought about it or not, there's actually lots of organic matter all-around your house. Of course, you still have to be careful about what you're composting, as not all of that waste can be composted.

Here's a list of household items that can and can not be composted:

Household Item	Compostable?	Brown vs Green	Other Considerations
Cardboard	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Paper towel	✔	Brown
Toilet paper rolls	✔	Brown	Shred first
Cotton balls	✔	Brown
Natural fabric dryer lint	✔	Brown
Newspaper	✔	Brown	Shred first
Egg cartons	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Burlap sacks	✔	Brown	Cut up first
Used matches	✔	Brown
Cotton towels and sheets	✔	Brown	Cut up first
Old natural loofahs	✔	Brown	Cut up first
Nail clippings	✔	Brown
Hair from your hairbrush	✔	Brown
Wine corks	✔	Brown	Chop up first
Old wool and cotton clothing	✔	Brown	Rip into small pieces first
Bamboo	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Parchment paper	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Pizza box	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Wax paper	𝗫	N/A	See this article for more details
Aluminium foil	𝗫	N/A
Diapers	𝗫	N/A
Used feminine hygiene products	𝗫	N/A
Synthetic soaps	𝗫	N/A	Unless certified biodegradable
Cellophane	𝗫	N/A	Requires industrial composting
Coated cardboard	𝗫	N/A	Contains plastic
Cigarettes	𝗫	N/A	Filled with chemicals
Produce netting	𝗫	N/A
Sticky fruit and veggie labels	𝗫	N/A	Contains plastic
Charcoal	𝗫	N/A	Contains too much sulphur and iron
Bioplastics	𝗫	N/A	Requires industrial composting

To add some context, although many of these household items are made mostly from organic materials, they're not completely organic. For example, while the fruit and veggie labels are made of paper, they're also made with chemicals and materials that cannot be composted. You want to avoid putting anything that can't be composted into your compost pile.

 

What office items can be composted?

Whether you have a home office setup or are commuting to an office, some of your supplies can be composted rather than thrown in the bin. Even when commuting, it’s a great idea to bag up the compostables and bring them home with you. You can even ask for your coworker’s compostables if you need to stock up on some brown items.

Here’s a list of the most common office supplies you can and cannot compost:

Office Item	Compostable?	Brown vs Green	Other Considerations
Paper	✔	Brown	Shred first
Pencil shavings	✔	Brown
Junk mail	✔	Brown	Shred first
Bills	✔	Brown	Shred first
Envelopes	✔	Brown	Shred first, and remove any plastic windows
Sticky notes	✔	Brown	Shred first
Business cards	✔	Brown	Only if they’re paper and not glossy
Brown packing paper	✔	Brown	See this article for more details
Colored paper	𝗫	N/A	Can contain heavy metals and other toxins
Wrapping paper	𝗫	N/A	Can contain heavy metals and other toxins
Paper with Sharpie markings	𝗫	N/A	Can contain heavy metals and other toxins
Paper with color printing	𝗫	N/A	Can contain heavy metals and other toxins
Glossy or coated paper	𝗫	N/A	Contains plastic

 

What animal and pet waste can you compost?

Our pets are adorable, and we love them, but they also create plenty of waste. With how much of a mess they tend to make, some of that waste must be compostable, right? Thankfully, it is. Some of it anyway, depending on the type of animals and pets you keep around. Here’s what you should watch out for:

Animal/Pet Waste	Compostable?	Brown vs Green	Other Considerations
Chicken manure	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Feces from herbivorous pets	✔	Green	Pets like hamsters, gerbils, and rabbits
Bedding from herbivorous pet cage	✔	Green
Horse manure	✔	Green
Cow manure	✔	Green
Goat manure	✔	Green
Cat Litter	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Animal fur	✔	Brown
Alfalfa hay	✔	Brown
Dry dog or cat food	✔	Brown
Feathers	✔	Brown
Dead animals	𝗫	N/A
Manure from sick animals	𝗫	N/A	Can pass on bacteria and viruses
Cat feces	𝗫	N/A	Can pass on parasites and pathogens
Dog feces	𝗫	N/A	Can pass on parasites and pathogens

You pretty much just want to steer clear of animal feces from carnivorous and omnivorous animals, such as cats and dogs. Unlike herbivores, these animals can easily pass on parasites and pathogens through their waste, which we don’t want getting into our plants later.

What yard and garden waste can be composted?

Your backyard is a veritable treasure trove of compostable materials. The most common compostable yard waste you'll find is dead leaves and twigs. Of course, most of that organic matter is going to be in much larger pieces than your compost pile will be able to really handle.

When it comes to the organic waste you get from your yard, the first step will almost always be to shred or cut it up. You can get specific tools and devices for grinding and cutting up your yard waste if you want to make that easier.

There are, of course, going to be some things from your yard and garden that you'll still want to avoid composting. Here's what to compost from your yard waste:

Yard Item	Compostable?	Brown vs Green	Other Considerations
Grass clippings	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Flowers	✔	Green	See this article for more details
Clippings from houseplants	✔	Green
Pine needles	✔	Brown	Use in limited quantities
Twigs	✔	Brown	Shred first
Rope	✔	Brown	Cut up first
Twine	✔	Brown
Dead plants	✔	Brown
Soil from houseplants	✔	Brown
Sawdust from untreated wood	✔	Brown
Dead leaves	✔	Brown
Chemical pesticide-treated yard trimmings	𝗫	N/A	Can kill beneficial composting organisms
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs	𝗫	N/A	Releases substances that are harmful to plants
Diseased plants	𝗫	N/A	Can pass on diseases
Naturally toxic plants	𝗫	N/A
Big branches	𝗫	N/A	Too large to break down, but can be composted if completely shredded
Tomato fruit	𝗫	N/A	Can sprout in the compost
Synthetic fertilizer	𝗫	N/A	Can kill microorganisms in compost

Much of what you can't compost will be because of chemicals and organisms entering your compost bin that you wouldn't want to transfer to your plants after. Diseased plants, for example, will compost just fine, but you wouldn't those diseases to survive the composting process and infect the plants you're trying to grow. On the other hand, chemically-treated plants could end up hurting the good microorganisms that complete the composting process.

Creating a balanced compost: get your carbon to nitrogen ratio right!

The composting process requires a good mix of carbon and nitrogen to properly decompose. Otherwise, you're either going to end up with a soupy mess or a compost pile that just isn't composting at all. Carbon rich material is referred to as brown material, while nitrogen-rich materials are referred to as green waste.

Brown waste is going to be the dry and generally non-food waste. Green waste, on the other hand, is wet and generally food waste. However, there are some exceptions. Here are a few examples of the different waste to give you an idea: 

With a backyard compost bin, you generally want to aim for equal amounts of brown and green waste. Too much of one or the other can result in unsatisfactory pre-compost. The ratio you're looking for can change with the method of composting you're doing, though.

Of course, with Lomi, you don't have to worry at all about whether you're even including any brown or green waste. You can just put whatever organic waste you have into your Lomi. Although it’s important to keep in mind that Lomi’s nutrient-rich soil amendment isn’t the same as traditional compost or pre-compost. You’ll want to choose the composting method that aligns with the effort you can put in and your end goals.

 

 

6 FAQs on composting and compostable items

While we've listed out the most expected potential compostables to help you out, there might be some specifics that are more confusing. Here are some common questions about what not to put in the compost:

1. What foods are not compostable?

Most foods will be compostable. Most don't compost meat or dairy products, as that would risk attracting pests and transferring unwanted bacteria. You also need to be conservative with the acidic food you're composting, as they can make your pre-compost too acidic.

Aside from that, you should also keep in mind the kitchen scraps that will take too long to compost compared to the rest of the organic material. Kitchen scraps in this category would be scraps like bones and fruit pits.

2. Can rotten food be composted?

This actually depends on what you consider to be rotten. Rotting is generally the start of the decomposition process, which is what you're looking for in compost anyway. Moldy fruit and vegetable scraps are also completely safe to compost. The only rotting you should really be worried about is diseased food.

You want to avoid composting diseased food for the same reason you want to avoid composting diseased plants.

3. Is greenware compostable?

Fabri-Kal's greenware products are advertised as compostable, but is that true? In short, it is. The catch is that they're only compostable in industrial facilities. Unfortunately, a home compost pile can't quite reach the same heat and conditions necessary to compost greenware products that an industrial facility can.

4. What plants not to compost?

There are a few occasions where you'd want to avoid putting plants in the compost bin. For one, you should avoid putting weeds that aren't dead in your bin, as you could add weed seeds to your compost pile. Weed seeds that aren't killed during the compost process could then grow in your compost or garden beds.

You also really want to avoid composting diseased plants or insect-ridden plants. Your compost pile may not get hot enough for long enough to kill the disease or insects. In that case, they could be transferred to your garden beds, which nobody wants.

5. Why can't dog poop be composted?

Whether or not you can compost dog poop, or any pet waste, actually depends on what you intend to use that compost for. Because of the bacteria that would end up in the compost, it wouldn't be safe to use the finished compost in a vegetable garden. However, you could use that pre-compost for plants you won't consume.

6. Can you plant directly into compost?

You can grow your plants directly in compost, but we wouldn't advise it. It doesn't work nearly as well as planting in a mix of compost and soil. Compost provides nutrients to plants that soil is lacking, but the same is true the other way around. Plants grown directly in compost also won't be as stable.

 

Written by: Sereana Simpson