City composting?

[anciana]

Does your city have a composting program? One that provides a household with a big container, the size of the trash and recycling containers, and collects the compostable material once a week just like it does trash? Our city is starting a pilot program and I have many questions if there are any experienced composting experts here. I will be emailing the city directly but thought it would be nice to tap into the collective of smart people here as well.


The few times I read about composting, the advice was to avoid meat, fat and dairy but now, reading about it more since the flyer we received lists them as compostable, it appears it is only because of the smell and possibility to attract unwanted animals. So, do I understand that correctly that we could throw into compost just about any food scraps? How do you deal with the smell?
I figured we could contain the smell by using compostable bags, both in the kitchen and in the big outside container. When researching compostable bags to buy, I see that some people say that they do not decompose in the time needed so they don't really work well. Anyone here have any advice?


What else should a newbie into composting know? I appreciate whatever advice you can offer!

[raeoflyte]

We only home compost at this time, but hope to get in with a larger company that can compost more items.

I would put a bin in your freezer, lined with newspaper to put any smelly composting scraps and just put it out the morning of pickup. The plastic composting bags are thrown away from what I've read. If you have a layer of non smelly/sticky stuff on the bottom of the big bin, then hopefully you won't have to clean that out much, but I would expect to have to do it more than your trash can.

[Cheesy FL-Vol]

Following!

We just moved rural and I really want to start composting, but I don't want a loose pile, nor do I want a bin that I have to go out and turn with a pitchfork or rake, so my option is a tumbling bin, but I haven't broke out and picked one up yet. It is just the two of us now but since DH works away from home I have to maintain it.

From what I have read, you don't want to put anything in it that is meat, fat, dairy, bones. Even if it is picked up curbside, wherever it gets brought to is going to end up with smell and pests/animals, so you would be transferring the problem from where you live to another location. From what I understand the purpose of compost is to turn scrap back into soil. Fatty waste is not good for that. 

However, I cede to anyone with experience on this.

[Sharon]

Our city has done this for years, probably over 20 years.  We just throw in all yard debris and fruit/veggie scraps from the household into the bin.  Because the bin is a big plastic tote with a lid the odor is minimal to none.  The only time it seems to get smelly is when the lawn was wet when mowed and then it sat in the bin for several days.  Even then the smell is really only noticeable when you raise the lid.   In our area they also ask that we throw pizza boxes in the yard debris rather than the mixed recycling because of the grease, wet paper towels etc are also okay.

Also check with your city regarding the compostable bags.  We don't use anything like that and it has never been recommended.

ETA: Remember the city will be removing the contents once a week so it doesn't hang around long enough to get really smelly.

[thyme4change]

Apr 13, 2021 11:30:37 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

Following!

We just moved rural and I really want to start composting, but I don't want a loose pile, nor do I want a bin that I have to go out and turn with a pitchfork or rake, so my option is a tumbling bin, but I haven't broke out and picked one up yet. It is just the two of us now but since DH works away from home I have to maintain it.

From what I have read, you don't want to put anything in it that is meat, fat, dairy, bones. Even if it is picked up curbside, wherever it gets brought to is going to end up with smell and pests/animals, so you would be transferring the problem to where you live to another location. From what I understand the purpose of compost is to turn scrap back into soil. Fatty waste is not good for that. 

However, I cede to anyone with experience on this.

We go to California often for soccer tournaments. One of the fields is next to a composting "facility". I am not sure what you would call it, but it is a huge outdoor area, and they go in with bulldozers and turn over all the piles. Some days the wind is kind to us, other days, I step into the port-o-potty to get a minute away from the smell. 😆 I am hoping masks stay an acceptable part of our culture, just so I can wear one when we go to that field.

[Lizard Queen]

Nope, our city only picks up yard  waste. Thinking about getting a  small tumbling bin if i catch it at Aldi.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

We have a couple of composting bins.  We throw in the top, scoop out the bottom.  I think TD got them on Amazon.  We used the compost in my raised garden beds last year and my herbs went nuts and overgrew everything!  

The city does have a composting program, but it cost too much for the individual household and they didn’t pick up regularly.  Dealing with them was a nightmare, so we quit and went our own way.  

We have a metal bin that sits by the sink.  There are compostable bags you can buy to line it, which makes it easier to into the bin.  Depending upon how much cooking I’m doing, the bin needs to get dumped a couple times/week....more in summer.  The bin has a filtered lid, so there is no smell.

[thyme4change]

www.amazon.com/dp/B08BQYXVNT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glc_fabc_M93CPRWWK63G2J2SJYDB

Probably the most expensive compost ever - but would be good if you don't have a lot of yard waste. Or maybe if you lived in an apartment but did container gardens on a patio or something.

[billisonboard]

My city (very small town actually) is consistently at risk of composting but works hard to find ways to stay fresh.


sorry but I just couldn't resist with that thread title

[weltschmerz]

Apr 13, 2021 11:00:43 GMT -5 anciana said:

Does your city have a composting program? One that provides a household with a big container, the size of the trash and recycling containers, and collects the compostable material once a week just like it does trash? Our city is starting a pilot program and I have many questions if there are any experienced composting experts here. I will be emailing the city directly but thought it would be nice to tap into the collective of smart people here as well.


The few times I read about composting, the advice was to avoid meat, fat and dairy but now, reading about it more since the flyer we received lists them as compostable, it appears it is only because of the smell and possibility to attract unwanted animals. So, do I understand that correctly that we could throw into compost just about any food scraps? How do you deal with the smell?
I figured we could contain the smell by using compostable bags, both in the kitchen and in the big outside container. When researching compostable bags to buy, I see that some people say that they do not decompose in the time needed so they don't really work well. Anyone here have any advice?


What else should a newbie into composting know? I appreciate whatever advice you can offer!

My city has been doing it for a very long time.   You can use ordinary paper bags, that you use to pack lunches, in the small kitchen bins. No need to buy expensive compostable bags.

[stillmovingforward]

We have composting. It's part of our yard waste program though. All they ask is no cooked bones. Our composting is commercial and 'hot' with lots of turning and attention and knowledge (they've done it a long time). So the compost bags for the kitchen containers break down just fine, I've heard. I love it. Well worth the money and an interesting side note, the family is made more aware of how much food they waste per week and are more careful about cooking, using up and saving leftovers.

[anciana]

Apr 13, 2021 11:28:33 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

We only home compost at this time, but hope to get in with a larger company that can compost more items.

I would put a bin in your freezer, lined with newspaper to put any smelly composting scraps and just put it out the morning of pickup. The plastic composting bags are thrown away from what I've read. If you have a layer of non smelly/sticky stuff on the bottom of the big bin, then hopefully you won't have to clean that out much, but I would expect to have to do it more than your trash can.

That's a great idea, raeoflyte, to keep the kitchen scraps in the freezer but I am not sure we would have enough space in our freezer for it. Maybe we can try and rearrange things and make space, just not sure the kids would be as diligent with it as with a more easily accessible additional composting pail in the kitchen. Something to think about though!
It would be great if the composting bags would be thrown away but I don't know if that's the case and haven't found any info about it just yet. The city said they would send us few and we can get our own later making sure they are compostable.

[anciana]

Apr 13, 2021 11:30:37 GMT -5 Cheesy FL-Vol said:

From what I have read, you don't want to put anything in it that is meat, fat, dairy, bones. Even if it is picked up curbside, wherever it gets brought to is going to end up with smell and pests/animals, so you would be transferring the problem from where you live to another location. From what I understand the purpose of compost is to turn scrap back into soil. Fatty waste is not good for that. 

That is what I thought too! But the info the city sent us said that meat, bones, dairy, eggs and spoiled food are OK. That was a big surprise to me but I don't know a whole lot about composting so I thought I must have been somehow mistaken.

[stillmovingforward]

My compost bags break down. I know because we've left them with wet food for too long before.....messy but we know they disintegrate now.

[anciana]

Apr 13, 2021 11:33:24 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Our city has done this for years, probably over 20 years.  We just throw in all yard debris and fruit/veggie scraps from the household into the bin.  Because the bin is a big plastic tote with a lid the odor is minimal to none.  The only time it seems to get smelly is when the lawn was wet when mowed and then it sat in the bin for several days.  Even then the smell is really only noticeable when you raise the lid.   In our area they also ask that we throw pizza boxes in the yard debris rather than the mixed recycling because of the grease, wet paper towels etc are also okay.

Also check with your city regarding the compostable bags.  We don't use anything like that and it has never been recommended.

ETA: Remember the city will be removing the contents once a week so it doesn't hang around long enough to get really smelly.

Yes, the city will be picking it up weekly but I bet our big outside container will start smelling after a few weeks without getting it rinsed thoroughly. Since I know we might end up being too lazy to do that every week, I was looking for other options. The city said we can use compostable bags but I was wondering if there is something else we could use in case those are not all that great for the compost.
Yes, greasy pizza boxes, paper towels, even shredded paper are listed as OK on the list they sent us.

[anciana]

Apr 13, 2021 12:29:10 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

We have composting. It's part of our yard waste program though. All they ask is no cooked bones. Our composting is commercial and 'hot' with lots of turning and attention and knowledge (they've done it a long time). So the compost bags for the kitchen containers break down just fine, I've heard. I love it. Well worth the money and an interesting side note, the family is made more aware of how much food they waste per week and are more careful about cooking, using up and saving leftovers.

My compost bags break down. I know because we've left them with wet food for too long before.....messy but we know they disintegrate now.

Could you share what bags you use? I've looked at only one on Amazon after having hard time finding something at our local grocery store and that was the one that some people said didn't break down for them.
Do you know how it works with grass clippings if we use weed'n'feed? We get a lot of weeds so our grass gets treated about once a month (I think). Once the sufficient time has passed and kids/pets are allowed on the lawn after treatment, is it OK to also add those grass clippings to the compost?

[anciana]

The Walk of the Penguin Mich, could you share what kind of a metal bin you use in the kitchen, please? It would be great if we could reduce the smell in the kitchen with having spoiled food sitting at room temperature.


billisonboard, glad to make you laugh! I guess I should have said "city composting program"


weltschmerz, I thought about paper bags but not sure that it would help as much with smell and I'm pretty sure they'd start leaking in the outside container after sitting for a few days.


Thank you all for suggestions! I really want to do it but realize I might need to make it a bit easier on my family to get their buy in 

[stillmovingforward]

Let me check when I get home, which will be a few days. We are 'sitting vigil' for a friend.

[Sharon]

Apr 13, 2021 13:20:24 GMT -5 anciana said:

Apr 13, 2021 11:33:24 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Our city has done this for years, probably over 20 years.  We just throw in all yard debris and fruit/veggie scraps from the household into the bin.  Because the bin is a big plastic tote with a lid the odor is minimal to none.  The only time it seems to get smelly is when the lawn was wet when mowed and then it sat in the bin for several days.  Even then the smell is really only noticeable when you raise the lid.   In our area they also ask that we throw pizza boxes in the yard debris rather than the mixed recycling because of the grease, wet paper towels etc are also okay.

Also check with your city regarding the compostable bags.  We don't use anything like that and it has never been recommended.

ETA: Remember the city will be removing the contents once a week so it doesn't hang around long enough to get really smelly.

Yes, the city will be picking it up weekly but I bet our big outside container will start smelling after a few weeks without getting it rinsed thoroughly. Since I know we might end up being too lazy to do that every week, I was looking for other options. The city said we can use compostable bags but I was wondering if there is something else we could use in case those are not all that great for the compost.
Yes, greasy pizza boxes, paper towels, even shredded paper are listed as OK on the list they sent us.

My big outside container only gets rinsed out once or twice a year and that is usually because of the wet grass in the spring stinking.  I also don't have a special container in the house to gather compost materials.  If I am cleaning veggies etc I let the scraps etc go into my colander, then I shake it good to get the majority of the drips, put a couple paper towels under neath when I carry it out to the yard debris bin.  The stuff goes outside to the bin as soon as we are done, prepping, eating whatever.  It isn't something that takes extra bags, extra bins or a lot of work. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 13, 2021 13:34:39 GMT -5 anciana said:

The Walk of the Penguin Mich , could you share what kind of a metal bin you use in the kitchen, please? It would be great if we could reduce the smell in the kitchen with having spoiled food sitting at room temperature.


billisonboard , glad to make you laugh! I guess I should have said "city composting program"


weltschmerz , I thought about paper bags but not sure that it would help as much with smell and I'm pretty sure they'd start leaking in the outside container after sitting for a few days.


Thank you all for suggestions! I really want to do it but realize I might need to make it a bit easier on my family to get their buy in 

This is what I bought.

www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/natural-home-products-recycled-stainless-steel-compost-bin/1060206947?keyword=compost&wmSkipPwa=1

[nittanycheme]

Apr 13, 2021 13:27:04 GMT -5 anciana said:

Apr 13, 2021 12:29:10 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

We have composting. It's part of our yard waste program though. All they ask is no cooked bones. Our composting is commercial and 'hot' with lots of turning and attention and knowledge (they've done it a long time). So the compost bags for the kitchen containers break down just fine, I've heard. I love it. Well worth the money and an interesting side note, the family is made more aware of how much food they waste per week and are more careful about cooking, using up and saving leftovers.

My compost bags break down. I know because we've left them with wet food for too long before.....messy but we know they disintegrate now.

Could you share what bags you use? I've looked at only one on Amazon after having hard time finding something at our local grocery store and that was the one that some people said didn't break down for them.
Do you know how it works with grass clippings if we use weed'n'feed? We get a lot of weeds so our grass gets treated about once a month (I think). Once the sufficient time has passed and kids/pets are allowed on the lawn after treatment, is it OK to also add those grass clippings to the compost?

Some of the weed  treatment products last a lot longer in the grass even though if safe to walk on, so there is a possibility it could contaminate the compost and cause it to kill what you put it on.  Do you not mulch your lawn clippings and leave them on the lawn?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 13, 2021 13:27:04 GMT -5 anciana said:

Apr 13, 2021 12:29:10 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

We have composting. It's part of our yard waste program though. All they ask is no cooked bones. Our composting is commercial and 'hot' with lots of turning and attention and knowledge (they've done it a long time). So the compost bags for the kitchen containers break down just fine, I've heard. I love it. Well worth the money and an interesting side note, the family is made more aware of how much food they waste per week and are more careful about cooking, using up and saving leftovers.

My compost bags break down. I know because we've left them with wet food for too long before.....messy but we know they disintegrate now.

Could you share what bags you use? I've looked at only one on Amazon after having hard time finding something at our local grocery store and that was the one that some people said didn't break down for them.
Do you know how it works with grass clippings if we use weed'n'feed? We get a lot of weeds so our grass gets treated about once a month (I think). Once the sufficient time has passed and kids/pets are allowed on the lawn after treatment, is it OK to also add those grass clippings to the compost?

These are the bags I use, they break down fine.  I first bought them and BBB, but the last time I bought them at Amazon.

www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/biobag-48-count-3-gallon-compostable-bags-for-food-scrap-disposal/1043977482?keyword=compost-bags

[anciana]

Apr 13, 2021 13:54:51 GMT -5 nittanycheme said:

Apr 13, 2021 13:27:04 GMT -5 anciana said:

Thank you, that is exactly why I was asking about the grass! I will need to email city and check with them.
No, we don't leave the clippings on the lawn as they'd be blown by the wind all over the neighborhood the same day and our neighbors would hate us. Up until now it would all just go to trash.

The Walk of the Penguin Mich, thank you for the link, I saved it and will see what kind of a kitchen pail the city will be providing so I can buy it if I don't like the one they give us. Thanks for the link for the compostable bags as well. Seems like these are very compostable as few people noticed it started disintegrating after couple of days in their kitchen.

[weltschmerz]

Apr 13, 2021 13:45:05 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Apr 13, 2021 13:34:39 GMT -5 anciana said:

The Walk of the Penguin Mich , could you share what kind of a metal bin you use in the kitchen, please? It would be great if we could reduce the smell in the kitchen with having spoiled food sitting at room temperature.


billisonboard , glad to make you laugh! I guess I should have said "city composting program"


weltschmerz , I thought about paper bags but not sure that it would help as much with smell and I'm pretty sure they'd start leaking in the outside container after sitting for a few days.


Thank you all for suggestions! I really want to do it but realize I might need to make it a bit easier on my family to get their buy in 

This is what I bought.

www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/natural-home-products-recycled-stainless-steel-compost-bin/1060206947?keyword=compost&wmSkipPwa=1

Wait....you have to buy your own kitchen bin? The city doesn't give them to you?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 13, 2021 14:55:24 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Apr 13, 2021 13:45:05 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

This is what I bought.

www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/natural-home-products-recycled-stainless-steel-compost-bin/1060206947?keyword=compost&wmSkipPwa=1

Wait....you have to buy your own kitchen bin? The city doesn't give them to you?

We do not use city composting, so why would the city provide bins?  We did a long time ago, but had problems with cost and service...that is, they only picked up about 50% of the times they were supposed to pick up.  Instead, we bought our own composting bins.

[mamasita99]

This is fascinating to me. I love the idea of composting but live in an apartment with no outdoor space for gardens. The apartment has recycling but this doesn’t include composting.

[Lizard Queen]

Apr 13, 2021 14:55:24 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Apr 13, 2021 13:45:05 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

This is what I bought.

www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/natural-home-products-recycled-stainless-steel-compost-bin/1060206947?keyword=compost&wmSkipPwa=1

Wait....you have to buy your own kitchen bin? The city doesn't give them to you?

My city provides both trash and recycling bins. Our city property taxes pay for these services. Our property tax rates are also higher than the surrounding cities that require residents to purchase their own trash pickup service. It's pretty much a wash.

[thyme4change]

Apr 13, 2021 14:55:24 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Apr 13, 2021 13:45:05 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

This is what I bought.

www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/natural-home-products-recycled-stainless-steel-compost-bin/1060206947?keyword=compost&wmSkipPwa=1

Wait....you have to buy your own kitchen bin? The city doesn't give them to you?

In my area, we have large roll out bins that the city picks up. They are 4 feet tall and probably 2.5 feet wide. Big wheels. I have one for trash and one for recycling. They are provided by the city, but only a real free thinker would roll them into their house and use them as kitchen bins. We have smaller bins, which we purchase per our own needs and decor, that collect garbage and recycling that we then empty into the big ones. You can also get a compost bin that is the same size as the big rollers - but only for lawn clippings. No food waste, so no good reason to roll that monster inside.

Does your city provide a bin you keep inside your house? That is very foreign to me. I have only lived in cities in this state.

We also pay for our own health care - but only of we wish to live.

[tcu2003]

My city doesn’t have a composting service, but there are a couple of local private ones, and we started paying for one last summer. I love it and wish I’d known about the option sooner! The one I use gives a 3 or 5 gallon bucket with a lid. I keep mine in the kitchen, and it doesn’t smell thanks to the lid keeping the smell in the bucket. Each week on compost day we put the bucket on the porch, and they pick it up and replace it with a clean bucket and lid. We can also set pizza boxes out with the bucket and they will take those. We can put cooked meat, bones, produce, etc in ours. The 2 big no items for us is raw meat and yard waste (they don’t want the chemicals that come with yard waste).

My kids are great about putting what they don’t eat, apple cores, banana peels, etc in the bucket, and my 4yo’s favorite chore is to put the bucket on our porch on compost day and bring the clean one inside.

[anciana]

Apr 13, 2021 23:49:51 GMT -5 tcu2003 said:

My city doesn’t have a composting service, but there are a couple of local private ones, and we started paying for one last summer. I love it and wish I’d known about the option sooner! The one I use gives a 3 or 5 gallon bucket with a lid. I keep mine in the kitchen, and it doesn’t smell thanks to the lid keeping the smell in the bucket. Each week on compost day we put the bucket on the porch, and they pick it up and replace it with a clean bucket and lid. We can also set pizza boxes out with the bucket and they will take those. We can put cooked meat, bones, produce, etc in ours. The 2 big no items for us is raw meat and yard waste (they don’t want the chemicals that come with yard waste).

My kids are great about putting what they don’t eat, apple cores, banana peels, etc in the bucket, and my 4yo’s favorite chore is to put the bucket on our porch on compost day and bring the clean one inside.

That's interesting, so similar but different! Our city will be providing a 96-gallon outside container and a small kitchen pail with few compostable bags to get us started. They also OK'd just about all of the food scraps, including meat, bones, coffee filters, dairy and eggs in addition to fruit and vegetable scraps. Also allowed is yard waste like grass clippings, leaves, weeds, small branches so I want to make sure what can we treat our grass with before we add it to the compost as they're not mentioning any restrictions there. Pizza boxes are allowed as well as all kinds of cardboard and paper as long as they're not plastic coated. I have a feeling we'll have more in our compost than trash which is exciting as I'd love to see all of that be used for something good. I will need to email them to ask about specifics.

Glad to hear that you don't have problems with the smell in the kitchen, that might be one of the drawbacks for my family this summer if we have the smell of leftover or spoiled food lingering in the air every time we open the composting pail. We'll need to figure out if we can keep some of it in the freezer or take it to the outside container more often. You've all given me so many good ideas to make this work better for my family!