Composting FAQ

We accept residential yard waste and commercial food compost materials. Residential composting specific to yard waste includes organic materials like:

• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Small branches
• Brush trimmings
• Untreated wood scraps.

Compost materials also can include:

• Soiled paper like cups, plates, napkins, and paper bags
• Empty soiled cardboard or boxboard containers like pizza boxes, milk cartons, and select takeout boxes.

Materials must be loose and not in bags. Please consult our Waste Wizard, which you can download and sign up for through Google Play and the App Store, for a comprehensive search of acceptable items.

Our commercial composting services for restaurants, hotels, and other kitchens include all of the above items, as well as liquids, meat, bones and shells, and fruit and vegetables. A full list of commercially acceptable items can be found by contacting a TDS commercial representative at (800) 375-8375.

Yard waste and brush are accepted at the TDS Landfill and transfer stations to be composted. Find the closest location here.

Compost is made by forcing organic materials to decompose in a controlled setting. Materials are stacked into windrow or static piling, allowing controlled heat and bacteria to break down materials into a new product. Liquids like milkwash, beer, soda, juice, wastewater, and other types are used to control temperatures and increase microbes in the decomposition process.

As these organic materials decompose in a controlled setting, they create nutrient-rich soils, mulches and compost to use in growing new organic material.

Our products are vigorously tested by the United States Composting Council during the entire process. This allows our products to be certified with an STA-seal, ensuring a high-quality product and a reputable process of composting.

Compost is most often used as a soil amendment or as a component in potting blends, improving soil health. It also helps make communities more sustainable by reducing waste, cutting down on emissions, and improving the health of green space.

You can purchase compost, mulches, and soils from TDS through its landscaping solutions brands.