Composting is an important tool that is used to limit the amount of food waste entering the waste stream. In Massachusetts, an estimated 22% of the waste stream is made up of food scraps. By using food waste from your kitchen and clippings/leaves from your yard, you can contribute to composting!
Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into a nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural decomposition. The end product is compost – a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material. Microorganisms feed on the materials added to the compost pile during the composting process. They use carbon and nitrogen to grow and reproduce, water to digest materials, and oxygen to breathe (Source EPA).