Compost can be a wonderful thing. It speeds up the natural process of organic matter returning to the earth. Unfortunately, sometimes you just need to get rid of it before it becomes compost. Maybe you’re moving and don’t have room for it in your new place or perhaps, like me, you live in an apartment with nowhere to keep piles of decaying vegetation. Whatever your reason for getting rid of compost here are 10 ways to do so easily and painlessly!
1.) Give it away!
Compost is an excellent fertilizer so give it away by all means possible. If you know someone who has a garden, give them some or offer yours up on craigslist or another social networking site in return for something they can offer (labor? cheap produce?).
2.) Cast it off!
This is one of the best ways to get rid of compost quickly. If you’re moving, getting rid of your old stuff might be difficult but if you offer compost, they might pay for some or all of your moving costs (people are weird like that). Also, check out Freecycle; many cities have groups dedicated to sharing free goods for members who truly need them.
3.) Compost it yourself!
If you already have a garden, making your own compost isn’t too difficult. You can use things like coffee grounds and banana peels in addition to vegetable discards (or just dump your kitchen scraps into it after dinner). Some plants are even willing to eat meat products so don’t worry about adding things like steak bones and chicken scraps.
4.) Bury it!
Many municipalities allow you to drop off compost at your local landfill or transfer station for free. If yours doesn’t, that’s okay, just grab yourself a shovel and bury your compost in an inconspicuous spot far away from the road.
5.) Condemn it!
This is my favorite way to get rid of unneeded compost because it requires no physical effort on my part. Simply put, if someone asks you how they can get rid of something most people will offer to take it off their hands; especially if it’s free (and often even when there is a small charge). I’m not suggesting spamming everyone you know with craigslist ads but you might try posting notices at your local library, gym, spiritual center, or any other place where people congregate.
6.) Incinerate it!
If all else fails and you truly cannot find anyone to take compost off your hands, incineration is a great option. You can burn most materials in a regular pile if the temperatures are high enough (over 100 degrees) but may need a commercial incinerator if there’s too much water content in the material being burned. Check with your city codes to see what they allow before burning anything.
7.) Bag & bin it!
Some cities have compost bins available free of charge for residents who want them which makes this method easy to do. Simply bag up your compost and leave it out beside your garbage can/recycle bin for collection.
8.) Compost it yourself!
As I mentioned earlier this is a great way to do things if you have a garden or just need a small amount of compost for your houseplants. Plus, the more you compost at home the less waste you have to get rid of in the future.
9.) Toss it in the trash!
Every so often there’s something that goes in our trash even though we know better. Do not feel guilty about throwing compost away if there are no other options available; simply vow to recycle and reduce as much as possible next time around.
10.) Leave it all behind!
Okay, so this one is an option only if you are moving (but I had to put it in here for all my Escape From New York fans out there). If you’re leaving an apartment building behind check with the management before simply dumping all your compost in the dumpster; some places will find tenants who do this. If you have a yard consider keeping your compost pile going so you can use it there next year.
Conclusion
There are many ways to get rid of compost both big and small. Even if all you can do is a bag & bin it, your efforts help reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. But if you have the opportunity, try another method; either way, remember to always recycle whenever possible (even compostable items like pizza boxes).
