5 Fun Composting Facts

Composting in Salem has never been easier with the Food Scraps Plus program.

The City of Salem has been partnering with Black Earth Compost to haul away food scraps and more since April 2014. Currently, we’re 880 households strong, and hoping to reach 1500 by the end of December! The clock is ticking and we need your help to get to 1500.

Here are five fun facts about composting in Salem to get you excited.

1. Composting food scraps and more can quickly reduce waste! If you recycle but don’t compost – food scraps probably make up about 25% of your trash. Composting can be a quick way to reduce your waste.
2. Salem is in great composting company, along with Hamilton-Wenham, Ipswich, and Cambridge, for offering curbside composting pick-up.
3. We all love pizza – but did you know the greasy parts of pizza boxes are compostable? So are well over 50 other items. Here is the full list we’ve developed to help you out (see page 2 of our FAQs).
4. Municipal composters are way different from your backyard compost pile. They CAN take waste like meat and bones – which should NOT be put in your backyard. Even if you already compost at your house – you could still get a toter to compost even more! Or…you can heed #5.
5. People who compost make better neighbors! Okay – here’s the truth about this ”fact.” Maybe you don’t make very much compost, or you might be away a lot – that’s okay. You can share a toter with your neighbor and fill the bin together. When you register for composting - just ask for two (or however many you need) kitchen bins, to go with your one curbside bin. I also recommend working out the answers to some basic questions, like who will put out the toter, how often you will clean it, and who will do it.

Got more questions? We’ve got answers to them and more. Feel free to comment here or on our Facebook page.

Or you can sign up right now for curbside composting.

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Here are some frequently asked questions we’ve already answered.

Why compost?

What can I compost?

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Beth Melillo is a member of the SalemRecycles Committee. She is interested in sustainable business and development. You can often find her running at Forest River Park or checking out books about upcycling from the Salem Public Library.