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Compost Organic Materials at Home

Great candidates for home composting include yard materials—like leavesgrass trimmings and twigs—and food scraps. Decomposition and recycling of organics are an essential part of soil building and healthy plant growth in forests, meadows and your home garden. By using compost, you return organic matter to the earth, which:

  • Improves plant growth by adding essential nutrients to any soil
  • Helps suppress plant diseases and pests
  • Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers
  • Reduces organic materials at home
  • Help extend the life of the County's landfill
  • Maintain a moist lawn and root system
  • Reduces the need for Baltimore County to collect and process material, preventing pollution and saving tax dollars

Yard Materials

Learn more about the process of creating compost below.

Food Scraps

Baltimore County residents may now compost some food scraps with yard materials in a regular compost pile.

For Large Amounts—Composting with Worms

Vermicomposting offers a beneficial and legal way to dispose of large amount of food scraps, help the environment and create a valuable byproduct for use in gardens and houseplants. Once you get your worm bin set up, the worms will do most of the work. 

For Small Amounts—Soil Incorporation

Soil incorporation is a simple and maintenance-free method involving burying small amounts of food scraps in the ground to promote the natural composting process. 

Grasscycling

Grasscycling is the practice of cutting your grass and allowing the clippings to lie on the lawn, rather than bagging this material. You could also compost the grass clippings, or use them as mulch or soil additive.

Leafcycling

Leafcycling is the practice of mowing fallen leaves on your lawn and allowing them to decompose over time. Shredded or chopped leaves can also be used as a thin layer to your lawn in the fall, and as mulch around trees, shrubs and perennials.

Explore Composting

 

Contact Us

Bureau of Solid Waste Management

111 West Chesapeake Avenue
Room 211
Towson, Maryland 21204

Hours

Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone

Fax

410-887-2931

BALTCOGO311

Chief

Nicholas Rodricks

 

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