Our List of Acceptable + Not Acceptable Materials for Your Scrap Bucket
ACCEPTABLE:
Baked goods: bread, cakes, cookies, pastries, pies, etc.
Baking supplies: cocoa, flour, sugar, etc.
Candy (BUT no gum, sucker sticks, wrappers/packaging)
Coffee beans, grounds and paper coffee filters
Cooked/Cured meat (BUT no bones or raw meat)
Dead/Dying houseplants + garden waste: including old/spent potting soil UNLESS chemically treated. (Please remove rocks and break apart root balls!)
Eggs: raw or hardboiled, shells too!
Fall leaves (Without sticks or grass clippings mixed in)
Fish skins
Fresh/cut flowers (Unless painted/dipped/dyed)
Fruits + vegetables: Pits and cores. Fresh, frozen or rotten, whole or scraps, raw or cooked ALL are acceptable (Please remove all plastic pieces, tags, stickers, etc)
Grains: corn, rice, wheat, etc.
Grain-based products: cereals, chips, pastas, tortillas, etc.
Jams, jellies, + other canned/jarred goods: syrups, nut butters, salsas, hummus, tahini, etc.
Nuts + seeds
Plain popsicle sticks + toothpicks
Protein powders: whey, soy, pea etc.
Pumpkins + gourds (No painted pumpkins, decorations removed)
Soft + solid dairy products: sauces, slices, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc
Specific paper items: (UNCOATED/NONGLOSSY) coffee filters, egg cartons (paper labels removed), napkins, brown paper bags (soiled or clean), paper plates, paper towels, pizza boxes, empty toilet paper/paper towel tubes
Sushi rolls + seaweed
Tea leaves + tea bags (Remove all staples; NO pyramid tea bags)
NOT ACCEPTABLE:
STICKERS, RUBBER BANDS, TWIST TIES, + OTHER PLASTICS attached to fresh fruits and vegetables
Any paper or cardboard items not specifically listed in the Acceptable column
Ashes (Due to high contamination risk)
Black walnut products (due to juglone content)
Bones
Ceramics (ex. terracotta pot pieces)
Charcoal or coal (Natural or not)
Cleaning supplies or chemical-based products: bleach, disinfectant/wet/baby wipes, household cleaners, make-up, rubbing alcohol, soap, Swiffer pads, etc)
Corks of any kind (Do not compost well)
Diapers or feminine hygiene products
DRYER LINT (Due to risk of microplastics/PFAS and dyes)
Foil
Glass
Hard, woody materials: bamboo brush handles, sandal soles, etc
Lawn grass/lawn mower clippings (Due to risk of herbicide/weed killer/Roundup contamination)
Large amounts of oils or liquids such as grease/cooking oils, brine, coffee, juices, kombucha. etc.
Leather goods/products or clothing of any kind
Liquid dairy: milk, heavy cream, half and half, etc
Non-compostable/”Biodegradable” plastic/Foams
Pet Feces
Pharmaceutical drugs/medications of any kind
Raw/uncooked meat
Staples (Metal of any kind. Remove staples from tea bags)
Synthetic, semi-synthetic, or inorganic fabrics: nylon, polyester, rayon, spandex, etc
Toe + Finger nail clippings (Due to contamination risk)
Used tissues or Kleenex (For health reasons)
Vacuum cleaner contents (Due to risk of microplastics)
Wax, baking, parchment, gift wrap + tissue paper or any other “non-stick” or grease/water resistant paper