Compost

Why address food waste?

From Lower Cape News Digging into Composting:

“If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, after the United States and China … we can’t get to our net zero targets 2050 without addressing food waste…”

Olav Hegland – Eastham Climate Action Committee

Composting at the Eastham Transfer Station

We are thrilled to offer household food waste composting at the Transfer Station. The “beach hut” at the far end of recycling has a couple of bins for you to drop off your compostable food waste.
In cooperation with Black Earth Compost (BlackEarthCompost.com)
Paid for by a Grant from Massachusetts DEP

At the transfer station compost bin, you can compost:

  • Food, fruit and vegetable scraps
  • Bread/Cereals
  • Coffee grounds and paper filters
  • Paper tea bags (no staples)
  • Eggshells (crushed)
  • Meat, fish, and bones
  • Flowers
  • Paper Napkins and towels (food only, no chemicals)

We don’t take:

  • Plastic bags. Compostable bags are ok.
  • Dog/Cat Waste
  • Diseased Plants
  • Trash
  • Newspapers (please recycle!)

Composting at home

Start a compost pile in your yard : You can easily create a compost pile in your yard for free. All of your fruit and vegetable waste can go in a designated spot (but not dairy products, meat, bones, or fish).

Don’t be intimidated – while creating good soil from food takes time, it works well if you just throw it in a pile and mix it up with dry leaves and other materials every once in a while.

Generally, animals stay away from composting spots since they are mixed with natural materials, and decomposed materials can be later spread in your garden areas.

Backyard compost bins

Backyard compost bins are available for purchase at the Eastham Transfer Station Gate House.

Did you know?

From the Keep Massachusetts Beautiful Blog:

Food is the single greatest item occupying landfill space in the United States, accounting for 22% of municipal solid waste (MSW). Methane, a powerful climatic pollutant, is released as food decomposes, greatly increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

More information

Check out these resources for more information.