syrinx

Following is a list of things that one can add to the compost bin instead of the garbage bin. It was taken from Toronto's Green Bin Organics Program fast facts site. As we live outside Toronto we don't have the Green Bin program, but we wouldn't use it anyway. Why give away valuable composting materials when we could use them in our own garden? We collect our composting materials in a garbage tin in our kitchen. It has a very tight lid, so no odours sneak out. When full, we add its contents to the compost area in our yard.

We use this list to determine what we can keep and what needs to be discarded. By combining composting with recycling we've drastically cut down on the actual "garbage" that we put out for the truck every couple of weeks.

Here's the list:

• Fruits, vegetable scraps
• Meat, shellfish, fish products
• Pasta, bread, cereal
• Dairy products, egg shells
• Candies, cookies, cake
• Baking ingredients, herbs, spices
• Coffee grounds, filters, tea bags
• Soiled paper towels, tissues
• Soiled paper food packaging:
  • fast food paper packaging
  • ice cream boxes
  • muffin paper
  • flour and sugar bags
• Paper coffee cups (no lids), paper plates
• House plants, including soil
• Diapers, sanitary products
• Animal waste, bedding (e.g. from bird/hamster cages), kitty litter
• Pet food