Magpie Environmental Trust

What to Compost
What you can put in your composter depends on what type of composter you are using. The following information is for a standard composter.

Compost is made from things that are biodegradable and will decompose or breakdown. Anything that is made from inorganic matter such as plastic or metal cannot be composted. Different materials decompose at different rates and can be split into three groups.

GREEN	GREEN/BROWN	BROWN
Tender, young plant materials that are quick to rot. These get the composting process started, but if you have too many in your composter it becomes wet and smelly	Most material is a mixture of green and brown, depending on its age. A mixture of these would make good compost.	Tough, fibrous items which take a long time to decompose. These are used to balance the green materials. They are best chopped up of shredded before they go into the composter.
Grass mowings Young weeds Nettles Comfrey leaves	Green leaves Vegetable trimmings Vegetable peelings Bedding plants Soft prunings Eggshells Rhubarb leaves Fruit peel including citrus Feathers Coffee grounds Tea leaves and bags Horse manure Hair Vegetarian pet bedding Real wool jumpers	Autumn leaves Tough hedge clippings low grade paper Cardboard Straw
SPECIAL COMPOST		DON'T COMPOST
These items can be composted, but must go into a special composter		These items cannot be composted and will not break down
Meat Fish Fat Cooked food Weed roots Seed heads Thorny prunings Woody prunings		Dog or cat poo Man-made fibres Metal Plastic Disposable nappies Crisp packets Foam packaging

Download pdf fact sheet.