Compost Bin Sale Open Through August 30

Composting is the controlled act of decomposing organic matter to create crumbly, brown, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich, soil amendment.

The City of Durham encourages home composting. We are also excited to announce two drop-off locations for food scraps are available to City of Durham residents and City employees available through June 2025, and we are currently investigating the best options for providing curbside collection for Solid Waste customers.

Compost Benefits

Composting saves communities money by reducing waste collection and disposal costs, and associated impacts such as methane and leachate production in landfills. Composting instead returns organic resources to the soil. Using compost in soils can eliminate the need for conventional chemical fertilizers by improving overall soil quality and structure, and creating a natural, healthy, soil ecology. Soils fed with compost retain moisture better and are less prone to erosion, which further protects our waterways. Individuals and households can compost at home using a variety of containers and methods, or subscribe to a commercial compost collection for a fee.

Compost Options

If you would like to get involved and start composting, there are a couple of options in Durham. You can start a compost pile at home, or you can use one of the newly installed food scrap containers available to City of Durham residents and employees. There are also third-party companies that pick up food scraps curbside.

Tips on how to get started composting at home or using one of the City drop-off locations are available below.