Composting
Compost organic materials such as food scraps to create fertilizers for your yard while diverting useful materials from the landfill.
Composting Options
Composting at Home
Compost household food waste items in your backyard using a compost pile or turner or by using worms (vermicomposting). Composting at home requires minimal equipment, effort, and expertise, resulting in nutrient-rich soil that can be used in landscapes and gardens. Learn more about composting at home from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Looking for a composting container? Wake County Waste Management offers pre-orders for discounted compost bins for county residents during the month of May. Check the county website for details.
Nearby Food Waste Drop-Off Site
Wake County Convenience Center Site 2, located at the South Wake Landfill (6120 Old Smithfield Rd., Apex, NC 27539), accepts food scraps for composting. This service is similar to any other specialty recycling or waste service, such as those for electronics, hazardous waste, or oyster shells. Site 2 is open to Wake County residents from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Benefits of Composting
Organic materials such as food scraps can be composted to create fertilizers for landscapes and gardens. Compost provides valuable nutrients to the soil, improving plant growth while reducing the need for pesticides and additional fertilizers. Compost naturally retains moisture, helping manage stormwater, prevent erosion, and reduce the need to water or irrigate.
Collecting and composting organic material diverts useful material from landfills, which has many benefits. When organic material is put into the landfill, waste hauling and disposal costs for the Town are reduced, helping keep service prices low. Food waste sent to a landfill also releases methane, a harmful greenhouse gas contributing to pollution.