Composting Information

Composting Workshop Materials

• Composting Presentation - Sandy River Recycling Association (PDF 5.77MB)
• Mark King, MDEP - Composting Presentation (PDF 6.34MB)
• Moving To Zero Waste - All Organics Composting (PDF 11.11MB)
• Moving towards Zero-Waste; Integrating composting into your home, business, institution,
  & local municipal solid waste plans and programs (PDF 4.5MB)

COMPOSTING PUBLICATIONS

Composting Brochure (Word 606 KB)

Composting to Reduce the Waste Stream - A Guide to Small Scale Food and Yard Waste Composting (PDF 19.77MB)

'Composting Seafood Processing Residuals in Maine' (18.03MB)
'A Community Guide to Composting Leaves and Yard Trimmings in Maine' (20.57MB)
'Maine Compost Initiative 2004. Residual Food Recycling.' (16.91MB)
. 'School Food Scrap Composting Operations Manual' (PDF11.8MB) School Composting Plans (PDF 90KB)

Composting at Home

What is composting?
Why should I compost?
How do I get started?
What is vermi-composting?

What is composting?

Composting is the decomposition of organic materials (plants, vegetable matter, grass, leaves, etc.) into a nutrient-rich soil-like material called compost. Composting can be done on a small scale (in your backyard) or a large scale (at a municipal level).

Why should I compost?

Composting is nature's way of recycling. When you compost, you convert vegetable scraps, leaves, grass clippings and other materials into a useful soil builder. You can use finished compost in your garden and around shrubs or other plants. Composting also reduces the amount of materials that enter the waste stream.

How do I get started?

If you would like to start composting in your backyard, please contact your local Cooperative Extension office for a free brochure. If you are a municipality interested in composting please contact us.

What is vermi-composting?

Vermi-composting is the process of composting food waste with worms, most often red wiggler worms. Vermi-composting can be done indoors using a small amount of space, making it a great option for classrooms, offices, and apartments. For more information on vermi-composting, check out our fact sheet on Composting with Worms (PDF 19KB).

Where can I find more information?

• See Our Composting Links!
  

• The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service offers compost assistance through their respective county offices. For a list of the offices, visit www.umext.maine.edu

Compost Bin Sale

The Maine Resource Recovery Association is again offering compost bins, kitchen collection ‘pails’, hand compost  turners and rain barrels for sale, in bulk quantities, at reduced prices.  For more information on participating in this opportunity, visit http://www.mrra.net