Composting offers Durham residents an eco-friendly way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for gardens and plants. The City of Durham encourages home composting and provides resources to help citizens get started. Durham currently offers two food scrap drop-off locations for residents and city employees, available through June 2025.

For those new to composting, the process involves decomposing organic matter like food scraps and yard waste. This natural breakdown can be accelerated with proper techniques, turning waste into a valuable soil amendment. Durham’s Solid Waste Management Department provides information on composting methods and best practices.

While home composting is popular, Durham is exploring options for wider implementation. The city recently conducted a pilot program in the Walltown neighborhood to test food waste composting on a larger scale. As interest grows, Durham continues to evaluate the potential for curbside collection of compostable materials for its Solid Waste customers.

Composting Fundamentals

Composting is a natural process that transforms organic waste into a valuable soil amendment. It relies on microorganisms to break down materials, creating a nutrient-rich product that enhances soil quality and plant health.

What Is Composting?

Composting is the controlled decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms. It involves mixing carbon-rich “brown” materials like dried leaves with nitrogen-rich “green” materials such as food scraps. These ingredients are combined in specific ratios to create ideal conditions for decomposition.

The process requires proper moisture, aeration, and temperature to thrive. As microorganisms break down the organic matter, they generate heat, which accelerates decomposition. Over time, the materials transform into a dark, crumbly substance known as compost.

This finished product is rich in nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. It improves soil structure, water retention, and fertility when added to gardens or landscapes.

Benefits of Composting

Composting offers numerous advantages for gardeners, homeowners, and the environment:

• Reduces waste sent to landfills
• Decreases methane emissions from organic waste
• Creates a free, natural fertilizer
• Improves soil structure and water retention
• Promotes healthy plant growth
• Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
• Supports beneficial soil microorganisms
• Helps prevent soil erosion
• Saves money on gardening supplies

By diverting organic waste from landfills, composting helps conserve space and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also creates a valuable resource that can replace synthetic fertilizers in gardens and landscapes.

Key Composting Terms

• Carbon-to-Nitrogen Ratio: The balance of carbon-rich and nitrogen-rich materials in a compost pile, ideally around 30:1.
• Aerobic: Composting process that requires oxygen for microorganism activity.
• Anaerobic: Decomposition without oxygen, often resulting in unpleasant odors.
• Thermophilic: High-temperature phase of composting, typically between 130-150°F (54-66°C).
• Mesophilic: Moderate-temperature phase of composting, around 70-100°F (21-38°C).
• Leachate: Liquid that drains from a compost pile, potentially rich in nutrients.
• Humus: The stable organic matter that results from completed composting.

Understanding these terms helps in managing the composting process effectively and troubleshooting any issues that may arise.

Getting Started with Home Composting

Home composting is an effective way to recycle organic waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. It’s simple to start and can be done in various ways, depending on your space and needs.

Choosing a Composting Method

Backyard composting is ideal for those with outdoor space. Create a compost pile directly on the ground or use a commercial bin. For smaller areas, consider vermicomposting. This method uses earthworms to break down kitchen scraps in a compact worm bin.

Traditional piles work well for yard trimmings and larger volumes. Tumbling bins offer faster decomposition and are easier to turn. Enclosed bins deter pests and contain odors.

Choose based on your available space, the amount of organic waste you generate, and your willingness to maintain the system.

Setting Up Your Compost Pile

Start with a layer of brown materials like dry leaves or straw. Add green materials such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps. Alternate layers, maintaining a ratio of about 3 parts brown to 1 part green.

Keep the pile moist but not soggy. Turn it regularly to aerate and speed up decomposition. For indoor composting, set up a worm bin with bedding, food scraps, and red wiggler worms.

Avoid meat, dairy, and oily foods to prevent odors and pests. Include a mix of materials to ensure proper nutrient balance and airflow.

Composting Best Practices

Effective composting requires attention to key factors like moisture, aeration, and balanced ingredients. Proper maintenance and troubleshooting skills help ensure a successful composting process.

Maintaining the Compost Pile

Monitor moisture levels in the compost pile. The material should feel damp like a wrung-out sponge. Add water if too dry or dry materials if too wet. Turn the pile regularly to incorporate oxygen. This promotes decomposition and prevents odors.

Mix “green” nitrogen-rich materials like food scraps with “brown” carbon-rich items such as dry leaves. Aim for a 3:1 ratio of browns to greens. Chop or shred larger pieces to speed up breakdown.

Keep the pile at least 3 feet wide and tall to retain heat. Use a thermometer to track internal temperatures. The center should reach 130-150°F during active composting. Cover the pile to retain moisture and heat.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Foul odors often indicate excess moisture or lack of oxygen. Add dry brown materials and turn the pile more frequently. If the pile isn’t heating up, it may lack nitrogen. Mix in more food scraps or grass clippings.

Pests can be deterred by burying food scraps in the center and covering with browns. Avoid adding meat, dairy, or oily foods. For persistent rodent issues, use a rodent-resistant bin.

Slow decomposition may result from improper carbon-to-nitrogen ratios. Adjust the mix of materials. Cold weather can also slow the process. Insulate the pile with straw or use a smaller bin in winter.

Excess leachate production signals too much moisture. Add dry materials and improve drainage. For odor control, cover food scraps with a layer of browns immediately after adding to the pile.

Compost Use and Application

Compost serves as a valuable soil amendment, enhancing plant growth and soil health. It provides essential nutrients and improves soil structure, making it ideal for various gardening and landscaping applications.

Enhancing Soil Quality and Plant Health

Compost acts as a nutrient-rich soil amendment, boosting overall soil fertility. It improves soil structure, increasing water retention and aeration. This enhanced soil quality promotes stronger root development and plant growth.

Compost helps reduce soil erosion by improving soil aggregation. It also increases beneficial microbial activity, which can suppress plant diseases naturally.

When mixed with soil, compost can reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and herbicides. It slowly releases nutrients, providing a steady food source for plants over time.

Landscaping and Gardening with Compost

In landscaping, compost can be used as a top dressing for lawns or mixed into planting beds. It helps establish new plantings and rejuvenates existing ones.

For vegetable gardens, mix compost into the soil before planting. Use it as mulch around plants to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.

Compost can also be used to create potting mixes for container plants. Mix it with sand and soil for a nutrient-rich growing medium.

When applying compost, aim for a layer 1-2 inches deep. Incorporate it into the top 6-8 inches of soil for best results. Avoid piling compost against plant stems or tree trunks to prevent rot.

Community Involvement and Education

Durham offers various programs and educational opportunities to engage residents in composting practices. The city and local organizations work together to provide hands-on learning experiences and resources for all community members interested in reducing waste through composting.

Programs and Initiatives

The City of Durham encourages home composting through several initiatives. Two drop-off locations for food scraps are available to residents and city employees until June 2025. Keep Durham Beautiful, a local nonprofit, supports these efforts by providing information and resources to the community.

Durham’s Solid Waste Management department hosts citywide events focused on waste reduction. These include e-waste collections and paper shredding services. The department also conducts educational sessions at PAC meetings and in Durham County Public Schools to promote sustainable practices.

Workshops and Training Opportunities

Durham offers workshops and training sessions to teach residents about composting techniques. These hands-on classes cover topics such as setting up a home compost system, proper waste sorting, and using finished compost in gardens.

Local experts lead these sessions, providing practical tips and answering questions. Participants learn about the benefits of composting for soil health and waste reduction. The workshops often include demonstrations of different composting methods suitable for various living situations.

Training opportunities are designed for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced composters. Some sessions focus on specific techniques like vermicomposting or composting in small spaces.

Public Composting in Durham

Durham offers several options for residents to participate in public composting initiatives. These programs aim to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for local gardens and landscaping projects.

Services and Providers

The City of Durham partners with Atlas Organics to compost yard waste collected through the curbside subscription program and at the Waste Disposal and Recycling Center. This service also processes biosolids from the North Durham Water Reclamation Facility.

CompostNow, a Raleigh-based organization, works with Durham to divert food scraps from the waste stream. They turn these scraps into soil-enriching compost for food production.

The city has introduced new public food waste drop-off sites. These containers are available for both residents and city employees to dispose of food scraps at no cost.

Participating in the Public Composting Initiative

Residents can join Durham’s composting efforts in several ways. The yard waste curbside subscription program allows for convenient collection of compostable yard materials.

Those interested in food scrap composting can use the newly installed public drop-off containers. These sites accept a variety of food waste items.

To get involved, Durham residents can:

• Sign up for the yard waste curbside collection service
• Locate and use public food scrap containers
• Learn about proper composting techniques through city resources
• Encourage neighbors and friends to participate

By taking part in these initiatives, residents help reduce solid waste disposal costs and contribute to a more sustainable Durham.

Environmental Impact

Composting in Durham, NC offers significant environmental benefits. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and protects local waterways from pollutants.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases

Composting diverts organic waste from landfills, where it would produce methane – a potent greenhouse gas. In Durham, this practice helps minimize the city’s carbon footprint.

When food scraps and yard waste decompose in landfills, they release methane into the atmosphere. By composting instead, residents can prevent these emissions.

The composting process itself produces minimal greenhouse gases when managed properly. This makes it an environmentally friendly alternative to landfill disposal.

Durham’s efforts to promote composting align with broader climate action goals. Each household that composts contributes to reducing the community’s overall emissions.

Protecting Local Waterways

Composting plays a crucial role in safeguarding Durham’s waterways. It reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, which can run off into streams and rivers.

When compost is used as a natural fertilizer, it improves soil quality and water retention. This leads to less runoff and erosion, keeping pollutants out of local water bodies.

Compost acts as a filter, trapping and breaking down certain pollutants before they reach waterways. This helps maintain the health of Durham’s aquatic ecosystems.

By encouraging composting, Durham reduces the burden on its stormwater management systems. This can lead to cleaner rivers and streams throughout the area.

The nutrients in compost are released slowly, unlike synthetic fertilizers. This gradual release reduces the risk of excess nutrients washing into waterways and causing algal blooms.