Home Composting

Home Composting/ Backyard composting 

What is compost?

A dark, crumbly, earthy material produced by the natural decomposition of organic materials. Food scraps and other organic materials can be converted to finished compost. This material is an excellent garden and lawn care fertilizer.

Why Compost?

When food waste is sent to landfills, the decomposition of the food generates methane, a greenhouse gas with a strong climate change potential. In addition, waste incinerators create air pollution by-products such as NOx and sulfur dioxide as well as CO2. When food waste is composted, it leaves the conventional waste stream and can help sequester carbon when applied to the soil.  Adding compost back to the soil also adds valuable organic matter back into the ground which makes the soil healthier. Composting food scraps also helps you save money by reducing the amount of trash you need to send out every week.

Home Composting

Home composting is a great way to reduce the amount of food waste going into your trash while also creating your own finished compost to use for gardening and lawn care. You can purchase backyard compost kits or make your own. Home composting is more affordable than signing up with a curbside compost vendor and is a good choice for DIY enthusiasts.

Click here for in-depth details on how to start your own compost rig in your backyard

Check out guides, how-to's, and demonstrations on composting from the Mass DEP

1Institute for Local Self Reliance. Home Composting Basics. https://ilsr.org/home-composting-basics/