Organics (food scraps and yard trimmings) comprise almost 40% of Pomona’s waste? Composting at home helps to reduce organic waste and creates a valuable garden resource in your backyard. Organic waste is a resource, not trash.

Composting is the decomposition of organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, that break down to create a valuable soil amendment to make soil and plants healthier while reducing waste, and greenhouse gases.

• Reduces your watering needs
• Can provide additional nutrients to your plants
• Helps prevent soil erosion
• Helps save money ordinarily spent on fertilizers
• Conserves landfill space

Commercial facilities have compost piles that are much larger and achieve much higher heat than those you would reach in your own home composting efforts. As a result, they can take products such as meat and dairy along with other organic waste, and then appropriately break them down into nutrient-rich compost without any pathogens. In non-commercial composting at home, you should never add meat or dairy products to your compost.