Compost
Backyard Composting Basics
The following is a list of items that should be placed in your backyard compost.
| Kitchen Organics |
Yard Organics |
|
|
| greens |
greens |
| all spoiled fruit & scraps |
grass clippings (no more than a 4-inch layer at a time) |
| all spoiled vegetables & scraps |
weeds without a seed head |
| coffee grounds |
spent flowers & vegetables |
| tea bags |
hedge clippings |
| cut flowers |
|
| egg shells |
browns |
| rice |
leaves |
| pasta |
dried grass clippings |
| houseplant cuttings |
dried weeds |
|
straw & hay |
| browns |
small twigs or branches (mulched) |
| coffee filters |
pine needles in small quantities |
| nut shells |
|
| stale bread |
|
| brown paper bags |
|
| paper towel |
|
| napkins |
|
The following items are compostable, but can draw unwanted pests to your backyard, so they need to be placed in the regular garbage.
meat
chicken
fish
bones
shellfish
dairy products
oils & fats
Compost is beneficial if mixed with garden soil and as a top dress on grass, so it is important to avoid the following materials:
Composting Tips
Cover the greens from your kitchen and garden with browns from the kitchen and garden.
Regularly use a pitchfork or other digging tool to mix in newly added green materials.
Turning the pile will add air into the pile that is needed by the micro-organism to break the pile down properly.
Always cover with a layer of browns.
By covering the food waste you will minimize fruit fly problems and the occurrence of other pests.
Keep the material in the composter about as damp as a wrung out sponge.
A composter that is too wet or dry may stop working.
The smaller the pieces of organic materials the quicker the materials will turn into compost.
By using both materials from the house and yard you should get the right mix of carbon and nitrogen.
By adding some finished compost or topsoil to the pile you will introduce organisms that help get the pile working.
Backyard composters are used in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough. Composters can be purchased at the Municipal office or at the Waste Management Facility for the subsidized price of $25 each.
Also if residents choose not to backyard compost; remember that any solid waste bag placed at curbside with backyard compostable material will be rejected. Residents also can (if they choose) deliver all of their organic waste including fish, and meat bones to the Waste Management Facility during normal operating hours.
The Guysborough Waste Management Facility has from time to time compost available for sale. It is recommended to call the site. Our toll free number 1-888-232-2316 for availability.
Organic tonnages 2008-2009
April 2008 - 169.62 tonnes
May 2008 - 207.56 tonnes
June 2008 - 202.56 tonnes
July 2008 - 229.63 tonnes
August 2008 - 201.15 tonnes
September 2008 - 237.56 tonnes
October 2008 - 189.09 tonnes
November 2008 - 166.81 tonnes
December 2008 - 124.06 tonnes
January 2009 - 88.27 tonnes
February 2009 - 75.34 tonnes
March 2009 - 77.16 tonnes
Organic tonnages 2009-2010
April 2009 - 78.0 tonnes
May 2009 - 131.15 tonnes
June 2009 - 147.91 tonnes
July 2009 - 198.17 tonnes
August 2009 - 166.67 tonnes
September 2009 - 142.07 tonnes
October 2009 - 132.59 tonnes
November 2009 - 104.88 tonnes
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
How to use the earth machine?
Zero Plastics Policy
The facility’s compost facility has had an on going problem with large amounts of plastics in the organics/ we are planning to cut the practice out as it has a negative effect on the compost process and the equipment. Commercial loads of contaminated organics will, as a deterrent be charged a higher tip fee or rejected. With zero plastics and other contaminates such as large rocks, large pieces of wood, pieces of metal, and glass we can produce a higher quality of finish compost.