Community Composting: How Neighborhoods Turn Waste into Resource

Grassroots composting programs are flourishing nationwide, turning food scraps into soil gold while building community resilience.

Success Stories

• Minneapolis: Bicycle-powered collection trailers tested as low-carbon pickup method
• NYC: Farmers' market drop-offs send scraps to local processors; finished compost returns for sale
• UK towns: Collection sites, seminars, magazines, and farm partnerships create closed-loop systems

Municipal Benefits

Cities that scale composting save on collection/processing costs, reduce landfill methane (a potent greenhouse gas), lower pesticide/fertilizer needs, and improve soil health—better aeration, water retention, erosion control, and toxin neutralization.

Getting Started: What to Compost

Acceptable: Fruit/vegetable scraps, coffee grounds/filters, tea bags, eggshells, nutshells, grains, bread, hair/nails, cut flowers, houseplants/potting soil, certified compostable tableware (bamboo, sugarcane).

Unacceptable: Meat, fish, dairy, oils/grease, pet waste, kitty litter, charcoal, coconuts, diseased/infested plants.

No federal standards exist yet—programs grow town-by-town. But organized neighbors can launch effective systems with clear guidelines and shared commitment.