Compost Materials Chart (Including Useful Tips)

Compost Materials List (Handy Chart with Useful Tips)

The composting process is an excellent way to reduce food/yard waste and create a valuable resource for plants and gardens. However, not all materials are suitable for composting. To help you compost effectively, we have created a compost materials chart that categorizes various composting materials based on their compostability, whether they are green or brown materials, and provides useful tips for composting.

Whether you are an experienced composter or just starting, this chart will be a helpful guide to ensure that you are composting the right materials in the right way.

Composting Materials	Compostable?	Green/Brown	Composting Tips
Vegetable and fruit scraps	Yes	Green	Citrus fruits and onions are best avoided for composting due to their acidic nature and ability to attract pests, respectively. Chop or shred to accelerate decomposition.
Coffee grounds and filters	Yes	Green	They should be balanced with carbon-rich materials like leaves or shredded paper.
Tea bags	Yes	Green	Remove any staples or tags from the bags.
Eggshells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind the shells before adding to the compost pile.
Nutshells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind the shells before adding to the compost pile.
Yard trimmings	Yes	Green	Can include grass clippings, leaves, and small branches. Only compost healthy plant trimmings. Do not compost diseased or pest-infested plant material.
Leaves (Oak, Maple, Birch, Ash)	Yes	Brown	Don’t add an excessive amount at once, as they can mat and prevent airflow.
Grass clippings	Yes	Green	Do add grass clippings in layers, mix them with other materials Avoid adding too much at once to avoid clumping. Do not use grass that has been treated with chemicals or pesticides.
Hay and straw	Yes	Brown	Can be used as a bulking agent to balance high-nitrogen materials.
Wood chips and sawdust	Yes	Brown	Avoid using treated or painted wood.
Shredded newspaper	Yes	Brown	Can be used as a bulking agent.
Cardboard	Yes	Brown	Use uncolored, untreated cardboard in small pieces to provide carbon for the compost pile. Don’t use glossy or coated cardboard or cardboard with tape or glue as they are not compostable.
Paper towels and napkins	Yes	Brown	Avoid using paper towels or napkins with cleaning chemicals or oil residues.
Paper bags	Yes	Brown
Cotton and wool rags	Yes	Brown	Avoid using synthetic fabrics or materials with cleaning chemicals.
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint	Yes	Brown	Can be used as a bulking agent.
Hair and fur	Yes	Green	Can add nutrients to the compost pile.
Fireplace ashes	Yes	Brown	Use in moderation as an alkaline material.
Seaweed and kelp	Yes	Green	Rinse off excess salt before adding to the compost pile.
Algae	Yes	Green	Rinse off excess salt before adding to the compost pile.
Dead plants and flowers	Yes	Brown	Avoid adding plants that have been treated with pesticides or herbicides.
Houseplants	Yes	Green/Brown	Can include soil and roots.
Wood ash	Yes	Brown	Use in moderation as an alkaline material.
Corn cobs and stalks	Yes	Brown	Cut or break into small pieces.
Pine needles	Yes	Brown	Use in moderation as they are acidic.
Bamboo	Yes	Brown	Break into small pieces before adding to the compost pile.
Cork	Yes	Brown	Can take a long time to decompose, chop into small pieces or shred.
Biodegradable plastic made from…	Yes	Brown	Break the plastic down into small pieces before adding it to the compost pile.
Soy-based ink	Yes	Brown	Shred paper with soy-based ink before adding it to the compost pile.
Cottonseed meal	Yes	Brown	Mix cottonseed meal with high-carbon materials to avoid compacting the pile.
Peanut shells	Yes	Brown	Break the shells down into smaller pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Rice hulls	Yes	Brown	Mix rice hulls with high-nitrogen materials to avoid compacting the pile.
Wheat straw	Yes	Brown	Mix wheat straw with high-nitrogen materials to avoid compacting the pile.
Coconut shells	Yes	Brown	Break the shells down into smaller pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Sugarcane bagasse	Yes	Brown	Chop sugarcane bagasse into small pieces before adding it to the compost pile.
Banana peels	Yes	Green	Chop banana peels into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Orange peels	Yes	Green	Chop orange peels into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Grapefruit peels	Yes	Green	Chop grapefruit peels into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Lemon peels	Yes	Green	Chop lemon peels into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Lime peels	Yes	Green	Chop lime peels into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Avocado peels and pits	Yes	Green	Chop avocado peels and pits into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Mango pits	Yes	Green	Chop mango pits into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Pineapple tops and cores	Yes	Green	Chop pineapple tops and cores into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Watermelon rinds	Yes	Green	Chop watermelon rinds into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Pumpkin and squash seeds	Yes	Green	Clean and dry seeds before adding them to the compost pile.
Melon rinds	Yes	Green	Chop melon rinds into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Artichoke leaves	Yes	Green	Chop artichoke leaves into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Cactus pads	Yes	Green	Chop cactus pads into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Egg cartons made from paper/cardboard	Yes	Brown	Break the egg cartons into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Biodegradable utensils made from…	Yes	Brown	Break the utensils down into small pieces before adding them to the compost pile.
Chicken manure	Yes	Green	Mix chicken manure with high-carbon materials to avoid compacting the pile.
Cow manure	Yes	Brown	Add in moderation, mix with green materials like grass clippings and vegetable scraps
Sheep manure	Yes	Brown	Add in moderation, mix with green materials like grass clippings and vegetable scraps
Horse manure	Yes	Brown	Add in moderation, mix with green materials like grass clippings and vegetable scraps
Goat manure	Yes	Brown	Add in moderation, mix with green materials like grass clippings and vegetable scraps
Worm castings	Yes	Brown	Mix with green materials like vegetable scraps, fruit waste and grass clippings
Fish bones	Yes	Brown	Chop or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Crab shells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Lobster shells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Mussel shells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Oyster shells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Seashells	Yes	Brown	Crush or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Feathers	Yes	Brown	Chop or grind before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like grass clippings
Hay and straw bedding from herbivores	Yes	Brown	Shred or chop into small pieces before adding to the compost pile, mix with green materials like vegetable scraps and fruit waste
Alfalfa	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Clover	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Lupine	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Mustard	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Peas	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Beans	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Lentils	Yes	Green	Add in moderation, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Bread	Yes	Green	Shred or break into small pieces before adding to the compost pile, mix with brown materials like dried leaves and twigs
Meat and dairy products	No	N/A	Do not add to the compost pile, as they can attract pests and slow down the composting process
Fats and oils	No	N/A	Do not add to the compost pile, as they can attract pests and slow down the composting process
Pet waste (e.g. dog and cat feces)	No	N/A	Do not compost pet waste as it can contain harmful bacteria and pathogens that can pose health risks.
Diseased plants	No	N/A	Do not compost diseased plants as they can spread pathogens and diseases to healthy plants.
Synthetic materials (e.g. plastics, rubber, and synthetic fabrics)	No	N/A	Synthetic materials do not decompose and can release harmful chemicals into the soil.
Charcoal or coal ash	No	N/A	Charcoal or coal ash can contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals that can be toxic to plants.
Glossy or colored paper	No	N/A	Glossy or colored paper can contain chemicals that are harmful to the soil and plants.
Treated wood products	No	N/A	Treated wood products contain chemicals that can leach into the soil and harm plants.
Metals and glass	No	N/A	Metals and glass do not decompose and can cause physical harm to plants and animals.
Chemicals and hazardous materials	No	N/A	Chemicals and hazardous materials can pose serious health risk to humans, animals, and the environment.
Beeswax	No	N/A	Not compostable, but can be used for making homemade candles, balms, and other natural products.