Celebrate Composting: How To Compost In Newburyport

Posted on: May 9, 2023 - 11:36am

Let’s Celebrate Composting!

By now, we have all heard Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – and the additional “R words”, Refuse, Repair, Reclaim to responsibly reduce what we send to the incinerator. But what about the “C word”? It doesn’t follow the alliteration, but considering how much of our residential and commercial waste stream is made up of both pre-consumer and post-consumer food, it is time to give Compost some attention. Many might claim Compost is already captured in the fun Rs as Recycling of food waste, but we would like to take a moment to put Compost in the spotlight.

And it’s not just us wanting to do it! Did you know the first full week in May is International Compost Awareness Week? It is! We would like to help raise awareness now to encourage you to compost and enjoy the benefits even before May!

Further, since Newburyport makes is so easy to compost, we need to give it the attention it deserves! We will share all of the different ways to conveniently compost in Newburyport below, but first, a few explanations!

What is Compost(ing)?

Composting (verb) is the process of turning organic waste (food, but also, in some cases, plant-based items such paper towels, napkins, un-coated/untreated paper plates, bio-based plastics, etc) into basic organic matter (= compost (noun)), a valuable addition to soil.

Why Compost?

Besides significantly trimming your waste stream, the following points are provided by the CompostFoundation.org:

  • The use of landfill space and incineration can be reduced by at least one-third when organics are recycled. Focused attention on recycling organic residuals is key to achieving high-waste diversion rates.
  • Methane, a greenhouse twenty-five times as powerful as carbon dioxide, can be significantly reduced through the recycling of organics instead of their being landfilled.
  • Soil health and productivity is dependent on organic matter – the essence of compost -- to provide the sustenance for the biological diversity in the soil. Plants depend on this to convert materials into plant-available nutrients and to keep the soil well-aerated. Additional benefits include the reduced need for pesticide usage to ward off soil-borne and other plant diseases.
  • Compost offers a significant answer to climate change mitigation.  Compost’s return to the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
  • Compost is a huge benefit for both water conservation and quality. When used in water quality projects, compost bind pollutants to the organics material and prevents them from entering our lakes, wetlands, streams and rivers. Soil erosion is mitigated, and water-holding capacity improved through compost’s enhancement of soil structure, binding soil particles together.

Even Better than Composting? Reducing food waste overall! We will save this for another article in the near future!

How to Compost in Newburyport?

Composting has never been easier/more convenient in Newburyport! Pick the version that suits you best! Questions or concerns? Email TowardZeroWasteNewburyport@outlook.com to get answers!

  1. Subscribe to weekly curbside collection
    1. Benefits
      1. accepts much more than what you can compost in your backyard, including meats, fats, dairy products, and bones!
      2. So convenient – roll your cart out to your curb for weekly collection
    2. Drawbacks
      1. Current subscription rate is 1.89 per week and the city pays the starter kit fee.  
  2. Drop off your household organics at any of the city’s drop off locations (free!)
    1. Benefits
      1. Accepts much more than what you can compost in your backyard
      2. NO COST
    2. Drawback
      1. Less convenient in that you must transport your organic waste to the drop off point
  3. Have a yard? Set up a composting bin in your yard with one of the city’s subsidized Earth Machines
    1. Benefits
      1. You get to keep the compost after processing
      2. So convenient – “drop off” is 24/7 with little commute
      3. No cost past the initial investment of the Earth Machine (again, heavily discounted from the city’s Recycling Department!)
    2. Drawbacks
      1. Takes up space in your yard
      2. Small initial investment and set up
      3. Very restrictive in what it can take – no meats, fats, dairy, or bones to make sure your compost does not attract critters or create bad odor
  4. Part A: Don’t have a yard? There are numerous new indoor composting contraptions on the market now! While the initial investment (so far) appears to be quite steep, the convenience factor is … amazing!
    1. Benefits
      1. Could not be more convenient
      2. Most take hard-to-compost items such as meat, fats, dairy, and (some) bones
    2. Drawbacks
      1. Initial investment can be high
      2. Can take up valuable kitchen real estate
      3. Many require electricity to run, and/or add-in material to enable the composting process meaning additional operating costs
      4. You will need to take your compost material somewhere when it is time to empty. The Newburyport Yard Waste Facility will accept your composted material for drop off without the requirement of a sticker.
  5. Part B: Don’t have a yard? There are several ways to compost indoors without high start up and investment costs, the most popular being the Japanese fermenting process called bokoshi
    1. Benefits
      1. Could not be more convenient
    2. Drawbacks
      1. Can take up valuable kitchen real estate
      2. Requires add-in material to enable the composting process meaning additional operating costs
      3. You will need to take your compost material somewhere when it is time to empty. The Newburyport Yard Waste Facility will accept your composted material for drop off without the requirement of a sticker.

 

Toward Zero Waste Newburyport is a committee of concerned citizens working under the city’s Recycling Department to explore and implement ways to develop responsible waste diversion streams to benefit the city’s budget and the residents’ health, as well as be a responsible, respectful, and considerate community of the planet. For questions and ideas, please email TowardZeroWasteNewburyport@outlook.com.