What can I Compost at Home and at GMUHS?
- GMUHS Environmental Club
- Jan 6, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 24, 2021
By Luna Burkland and Greta Bernier
What you can and can not compost depends on where you live and the system you have. If you send your compost to your transfer station or facility, their requirements will be different compared to the facility that GMUHS sends our compost to.
What can I compost at home?
In industrial composting facilities, all food scraps, including meat, dairy, and paper products can be composted. At some homes or smaller scale setups, only foods that break down easily should go in the compost. If you live in an area where you have problems with animals, there are certain steps to take that can keep them away. Not composting meat and dairy products can help keep the smell down, and it is one way to avoid problematic animals.
In July 2020, Act 148 became a law that food scraps are banned from landfills, for businesses and residents in Vermont. There will be compost bins at transfer stations and residents can do composting at their own homes. This means that it is illegal to throw away food scraps and other compostable items.
What can’t I compost at home?
In general, most things that are organic or come from plants are compostable. Composting is the breaking down of items that can be reintroduced to the biosphere, so you shouldn’t compost materials that don’t easily break down. Products like plastic, styrofoam, glass, etc., cannot be broken down by decomposition, and therefore cannot be composted. Most paper products can be composted, but some products, such as paper plates, could have a non-compostable coating/cover. An example of this would be PLU stickers: they have a paper front and a plastic sticky side.
Composting At GMUHS:
At GMUHS, we send our compost to ‘Grow Vermont’ facility that accepts meat and dairy. However they don’t take paper, so make sure you know the restrictions for the individual facility if you send your compost to one.
What you can compost at GM
All food! Including…
-Meat and Bones
-Milk, Cheese, Dairy
-Fruit and Vegetables
-Condiments and Dressings
-Coffee Grounds/Filters
-Seafood and Shells
-Fats, Oils, Spices
What you can’t compost at GM
-All Paper Products
-BioPlastics (PLA/PHA)
-Condiment Packets
-Straws/Containers
-Rubber Bands/Twist Ties
-PLU Stickers
-Packaging/Recyclables
-Dishware/Silverware
-Florist Flowers
When composting at a public building, school, or at your home, keep in mind what you can and cannot compost depending on the requirements. This helps keep the compost uncontaminated and refined.
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