Compost collection bins are available by the Chemistry Loading Dock. Composting diverts matter from landfills and turns it into a resource, such as nutrient-rich soil or biogas. Composting food waste also reduces methane production, a prominent greenhouse gas that contributes greatly to global climate change.
Items that go in the containers for composting on campus are items that can break down in nature relatively easily or under the right conditions. If you are interested in learning how to compost at home, get in touch with ASUCD Project Compost, located behind the Bike Barn!
All Food Products
- Fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, dairy
- Leftovers and table scraps
- Meat, bones, fish
- Pizza, popcorn, etc.
Food-Related Items
- Paper egg cartons
- Food soiled paper products – napkins, paper plates, paper cups (Starbucks cups), pizza boxes, paper cupcake liners
- Natural corks from wine bottles
- Bioplastic products – cups, straws, lids, etc. that are made from plants and are marked "compostable" on the package
- Coffee grounds, paper coffee filters, paper tea bags
- Wooden chopsticks and toothpicks and bamboo skewers
- Milk containers, waxed paper containers (not to be confused with Tetra Paks, plastic-coated paper cartons); please remove plastic spigot if applicable
- SpudWare – utensils and tableware made from potatoes or other biodegradable materials
Non-Food Related Items
- Biodegradable or compostable trash bags (BioBags, etc.)
- Cardboard, used matches
- Old clothing items – 100% cotton or wool only
- Cotton balls
- Cotton swabs (made with cotton or cardboard sticks, no plastic sticks)
- Hair
- Items labeled as "compostable" or "biodegradable"
- Lint (from the clothes dryer)
- Paper – copy paper, newspaper, sticky notes, receipts, paper towels, paper towel rolls, tissues, etc.
- Pencil shavings
- Plant materials – dead flowers, leaves, plant trimmings, etc.
Not Compostable
Items that cannot be composted take a long time to break down in nature and are not made from plant-based materials.
- Plastics, polystyrene ("Styrofoam")
- Glass
- Metals or foil
- Non-food liquids (oil, butane, etc.)
- Any biohazards, such as items contaminated with blood
Please note that some items may not be compostable in all settings, such as a backyard compost bin.