Compost Rules Have Changed. Learn to sort right.

Nov 05, 2023

We need your help creating healthy compost. Know before you throw.

Our region's only commercial compost manufacturer, A1 Organics, has changed what materials they accept from communities along the Front Range. These changes are in response to contamination challenges across the region. If we all do our part, A1 can continue to create clean compost that can be used to revive soils and grow nutritious local food. Read A1's press release.

Including meat, bones, dairy, coffee grounds and eggshells.

Leaves, twigs, flowers, grass and other yard trimmings.

If it was on your plate or grew in your yard, it goes in your compost bin.

New Compost Sign

Many waste haulers are still collecting large, brown paper bags used for yard trimmings. These bags must be left next to your compost bin. Please check with your waste hauler for more information.

Large yard trimmings, like branches, can be taken to Western Disposal's Yard Waste Drop-Off Center for a reduced fee.

You don't need to bag your compost. Go bag free and simply rinse out your indoor compost container. If it gets stinky, give it a quick rinse and pour the water directly onto your yard or trees.

Check out our New Compost Rules FAQ.

Contaminants – from glass to diapers – are ending up at our local compost manufacturer. When processed with our organic waste, pieces of these pollutants make their way into soils and waterways, and eventually turn up in our food and water.

To protect the quality of finished compost, truckloads of contaminated compostable materials are being rejected and sent to the landfill. There, organic material is unable to break down and produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that fuels the climate crisis.

Help keep food scraps and plants out of the landfill by knowing what belongs in the bin before you throw. Doing so will also help make clean, healthy compost that we're proud to put on our gardens.

The composting process gives organic matter a new life, turning carrot tops and coffee grounds into a nutrient-rich material that nourishes our soils. Compost increases our soil's ability to absorb and hold water. It also promotes a diversity of soil life which remove and store carbon dioxide – the most common greenhouse gas – from the atmosphere. However, these benefits depend on the quality of our community's compost.

Share this article with friends and family and help them learn what belongs in the compost. We need everyone on board to beat contamination.

Consult Eco-Cycle's A-Z Recycling Guide for hundreds of common waste items and where they belong. There's also an app version for your smartphone.

It feels good to compost as much as possible, but adding non-compostable materials to a compost bin can result in the whole thing ending up in the landfill. Do your research now so you know how to sort when on the go.

Long term, a shift toward circularity and reusable products is needed to address many of the climate and waste management challenges we face today. This growing movement goes beyond recycling and composting to focus on preventing waste in the first place. It also explores innovative ways to curb Boulder's collective consumption through reuse and repair.

Explore our Circular Boulder guide to learn more.

Here are some swaps to help you get started:

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