Composting

Composting in Coral Gables

Home composting is allowed in Coral Gables as long as it is a closed-bin system located in the backyard. 

Benefits of Composting

  • It improves soil, which helps plants grow better.
  • Reduces need for chemical fertilizer.
  • Helps soil maintain moisture, meaning less time and money spent on watering plants.
  • Reduce your carbon footprint
  • Reduction in methane emissions from landfills because food waste releases methane.
  • Helps balance the pH of soil. 
  • The less waste you have the less energy and fuel it will take to transport waste.
  • Helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
  • Helps ward off pests.
  • Helps prevent erosion because aids soils ability to retain water. 
  • Improves plant growth 

Why compost?

  • 16%-23% of waste is food waste
  • Total US food waste is valued at $161.6 billion
  • Organic waste makes up 25% to 50% of what people throw away

Where to compost?

  • You can compost in your back yard, using a closed compost system 
  • Keep a small compost container in your kitchen and toss it in your compost bin several times a week.

How to compost?

  • In order to have healthy compost it is important to more carbon than nitrogen.
  • Carbon is referred to as brown matter 
  • Nitrogen is referred to as green matter.

What to compost?

COMPOSTABLE GREENS

COMPOSTABLE BROWNS

DO NOT COMPOST

Fruit and vegetable scraps

Shredded paper

Dairy products

Egg shells

Grass clippings

Bones 

Tea bags

Leaves

Animal meat

Coffee grounds

Newspaper

Sick or infected  plants

Hair (human, dogs, cats, etc.)

Toilet paper rolls

Fish 

Paper coffee filters

Wood shavings

Grease and oil

Old nut milks (almond, cashew, coconut)

Printer paper

Cooked foods

 

Cardboard (cut into small pieces)

 

 

Paper bags

 

 

Pencil shavings 

 

 

Pizza boxes (cut up)

 

Composting Classes

Additional Resources