Garbage, compost, and recycle sorting doesn’t need to be complicated but some items seem compostable even when they aren’t. Have you ever been unsure of which bin to throw your waste? With garbage, compost and recycling receptacle, many of us find ourselves in that position daily. It doesn’t help that many consumer products don’t have a list of ingredients either!
Many people know that food and anything made out of natural fibers is compostable. However, what about the items that look like they are compostable but really aren’t? Here is a list of items commonly mistaken as compostable.
Gum
Yes, even though it is basically edible (or can at least pass through your digestive system without much harm), gum is not compostable. You’ll notice one of the ingredients on a pack of gum is “gum base”. Traditionally, the gum base was made out of chicle, a naturally chewy tree resin. Now, most gum is made of synthetic rubber or plastic as the “gum base”. Yes, plastic!! The gum base is not compostable so although gum seems like a food product, it is not compostable! Make sure your gum is always disposed of in the garbage and remember that it is not compostable when you go to throw it outside. Not only will it not degrade, but anyone who has stepped in gum knows how it can ruin your day.
There are still some brands of gum that contain a natural gum base. If you’re interested in buying natural gum, check out the label and make sure it says “chicle gum base” or “all natural chicle”. Most conventional plastic-based gum will just say “gum base” on the package.
Lint
The fuzzy stuff in your dryer vent might feel soft and harmless but lint is not compostable. The dryer collects tiny fibers from your clothes in the laundry. If any of your clothes are plastic based (made from polyester, spandex, lycra, or acrylic) then the lint is not compostable and should be thrown in the garbage. You can also reduce the plastic in your clothes by looking for clothing made from natural fibers like cotton, linen, hemp, and wool.
Produce Stickers
This one is a no-brainer but plastic produce stickers are one of the items most often missed and thrown in our local municipal compost. In fact, I have even bought bags of the resulting compost and found intact plastic stickers throughout. It’s easy to forget this one — it’s on almost every piece of produce we buy! The best way to avoid these in the first place? Buy produce from the farmer’s market – no sticker!
Pet Waste
Pet waste left on the ground is a huge contributor to water quality issues. It is full of harmful bacteria and pathogens and can have a major environmental impact. In most municipal composting facilities, pet waste is not accepted and it should never be composted with your home compost. At the very least, make sure you always get it off the ground, bag it and throw it in the garbage. The next best option (although somewhat impractical) is to throw it in the toilet so it is treated just like human waste. Even better, set up a home composting system just for pet waste. The USDA produced a basic report on pet waste composting and there are many composting systems created solely for pet waste.
Take-Out Boxes
These boxes even fooled me! Most takeout boxes I get are made of natural brown cardboard so they look compostable but they really aren’t. They are actually lined with plastic to make the box leak-resistant – great for your saucy meal but not so great for your compost pile. These boxes are not compostable but if they are completely clean, they are recyclable (at most facilities). There are some take-out containers that are specifically compostable but they will be clearly labeled. Check the bottom when in doubt!
Receipts
It may seem like receipts are compostable just like newspaper or food-soiled paper but they are not. Receipts are made of thermal paper and contain BPA or BPS. These endocrine disrupting chemicals have gained recent attention for their negative health impacts. Chemicals like that are definitely not something you want to be composted and spread on your tomato plants! Most facilities accept receipts in the recycling, however, questions have been raised as to whether BPA and BPS are then, through the recycling process, introduced into recycled materials.
These items, although small, can make a big difference if thousands of people throw them into the compost. Don’t discount these individual small actions – quality control in your garbage, compost, and recycling can make a measurable difference. It is especially impactful when you consider how much plastic could end up in our environment over years of disposal!
Have you ever mistakenly composted these products? Was there anything surprising on this list? Comment below!
