COMMUNITY COMPOSTING

COMPOST WITH US!

We collect food waste acceptable for composting at two drop-off locations in Wheeling, WV. Connect with our operator, Chloe, at volunteer@growov.org to gain access to these locations.

Contact the Compost Crew

We all create food waste - carrot tops, apple cores, potato peels… What if you could do something useful with that waste? Compost gives us that opportunity to recycle our food waste back into the soil, an opportunity that is lost with each bit sent to the landfill.

We hope to make the choice to compost a little bit easier, because together our food waste can do amazing things! Keep reading to learn about compost, and how you can join our efforts.

THE SCOOP ON COMPOST

Most simply, compost is broken down organic material (food scraps, paper, yard waste, etc.) used as a nutrient rich fertilizer.

Composting is the process of collecting organic waste and facilitating its breakdown into those nutrients. Why do we do it?

For our environment! In the anaerobic (oxygen-less) setting of a landfill, organic waste puts out methane gas, which is at least 30x as potent as carbon dioxide for our climate. On the other hand, well-managed compost piles cut down these methane emissions, while creating a usable garden product.

For our farms! Composting recycles nutrients from food waste back into the soil, which allows our farms to continue to grow healthy and delicious produce for our community to enjoy!

For our landfills! Food waste accounts for about a quarter of all landfill volume, so by diverting your waste through compost you can help to reduce the size of our landfills.

COMPOST COLLECTION FAQ

  • All organic material is compostable in the proper setting, but for our program we are only able to accept the following:

    • Fruit and vegetable scraps (de-stickered!)

    • Napkins and paper towels

    • Eggshells

    • Coffee grounds and filters

    • Tea bags (without staples)

    • Yard trimmings (pesticide and herbicide free)

    Please DO NOT send:

    • Fatty and oily foods

    • Meat

    • Dairy

    • Baked goods

    • Plastics, twist ties, rubber-bands, or stickers

  • There are two drop-off locations. Contact Chloe to learn more and gain access to these collection sites.

  • It shouldn’t! (too much)

    How to keep your compost container from getting smelly:

    Make sure to empty and wash your container each week.

    Keep your container in a cool place, like the fridge or garage.

    Always keep the lid secured on the container to keep out flies + critters.