What Can I Compost? 100 Things You Can Compost

Of course, some of these are obvious, but it’s important to note exactly what’s safe and useful to throw in your compost bin or pile. If you haven’t started, now its the perfect time, as the falling leaves and dying summer plants (tomato vines, corn stalks, etc) are the perfect compost fodder.

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This list covers a wide range of organic materials suitable for composting. Be sure to check the recommendations for your specific compost system. Many municipal composting programs allow for meat, fish, and dairy composting, but those aren’t things you would want to include in your backyard composting.

Remember to balance green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials for optimal composting.

1. Paper napkins
2. Paper towels
3. Egg cartons
4. Cardboard boxes
5. Brown packing paper
6. Shredded newspaper
7. Pizza boxes (ripped into small pieces)
8. Toilet paper rolls (shredded)
9. Paper towel rolls (shredded)
10. Eco-friendly compostable sponges
11. Cotton string
12. Paper grocery bags
13. Post-it notes
14. Junk mail
15. Flowers
16. Pet hair
17. Potash rock
18. Wood chips
19. Pine needles
20. Pine cones
21. Acorns and other fallen seeds
22. Leaves
23. Grass clippings
24. Hay
25. Weeds
26. Twigs
27. Small branches
28. Rope
29. Vines
30. Freezer-burned vegetables
31. Freezer-burned fruit
32. Freezer-burned fish
33. Popcorn
34. Stale bread
35. Coffee grounds
36. Coffee filters
37. Tea grounds
38. Tea bags
39. Egg shells
40. Potato peelings
41. Corn cobs
42. Avocado pits
43. Cooked or uncooked pasta and rice
44. Dry pasta and rice
45. Dry cereal
46. Expired spices
47. Tofu and tempeh
48. Cooked and dry beans
49. Nuts and seeds
50. Nut shells
51. Nut butters
52. Protein powder
53. Muffin wrappers
54. Byproducts of fermentation, such as sourdough discard and kombucha scobies
55. Fruit scraps (e.g., apple cores, banana peels)
56. Vegetable scraps (e.g., carrot tops, potato peels)
57. Citrus peels (e.g., lemon peels, orange peels)
58. Jams and jellies
59. Broccoli and cauliflower stems
60. Tops of vegetables, like carrots, beets, radishes, etc.
61. Onion skins
62. Garlic skins
63. Matches
64. Lint
65. Wood ashes
66. Seaweed and kelp
67. Chicken manure
68. Rabbit manure
69. Cow manure
70. Bird cage cleanings
71. Pet food
72. Brewery wastes
73. Hoof and horn meal
74. Molasses residue
75. Unpaid bills
76. Hair clippings
77. Sawdust
78. Alfalfa
79. Winter rye
80. Grapefruit rinds
81. Pea vines
82. Houseplant trimmings
83. Soil from houseplants
84. Wine corks
85. Toothpicks
86. Cotton fabric (cut into small pieces)
87. Wool fabric (cut into small pieces)
88. Hemp fabric (cut into small pieces)
89. Silk fabric (cut into small pieces)
90. Linen fabric (cut into small pieces)
91. Cotton swabs (with cardboard sticks)
92. Cotton balls
93. Produce rubber bands
94. Dryer lint (from natural fibers)
95. Fireplace ashes (in moderation)
96. Vacuum cleaner dust (from natural fibers)
97. Wreaths
98. Garlands
99. Christmas trees
100. Pumpkins

If you’re new to composting, be sure to check out, Composting Made Easy: A Beginner’s Guide.