Composting Kitchen Waste At Home For Healthier Planet

Every day, your kitchen generates lots of waste including vegetable/fruit peels, food waste, dairy waste .etc, often these end up going into trash. But what if I told you that this waste can be transformed into something that is valuable.

You can compost at home with a small balcony or a backyard, using food scraps from your kitchen, dry leaves, cotton boxes and waste wood. you can use this compost to benefit your garden's soil. I’ve been doing it from 2 years, and I’m going to share everything I’ve learned. Let’s dive into how you can do composting to manage your kitchen waste sustainably, make a positive impact.

Why Compost Your Kitchen Waste or Food Scraps?

Composting is a way to cut down on our garbage sending into trash. It’s a natural process that turns the organic waste into nutrient-rich garden manure. This compost, a home made natural fertilizer improves our garden's soil health, helps plants grow and reduce the need of artificial fertilizers.

During my childhood, our family had a livestock, my dad and mom use to manage a compost/manure in our back yard, throwing cow dung, organic matter, garden waste, kitchen waste, papers and used food leftovers to feed our livestock , later during the start of the next year, the compost was used an manure to promote nutrients for our agricultural lands. Dad says he saves up to 25000/- in over all yearly farm spends during 2005.

Here are some key benefits of doing compost:

• Reduces landfill waste: Kitchen waste and Food scraps make up a large portion of household waste. Composting keeps this out of landfills, reduce production of harmful methane gas.

• Saves money: You can reduce your trash bills and save on sourcing pesticide and artificial fertilizers.

• Supports sustainable living: Composting, natural way of recycling closes the loop by returning nutrients to the earth.

• Improves soil quality: Compost adds organic matter, helping soil retain moisture and nutrients and improve plant growth in your garden. It also prevents soil erosion and conserves water.

• Supports Circularity: Compost/ manure produced out of kitchen waste, minimizing use of artificial fertilizers.

  
  

Starting is easier than you think. You don’t need fancy equipment or a big garden. Just a little knowledge and some kitchen scraps.

Kitchen compost bin filled with vegetable scraps

Can kitchen waste be composted?

Absolutely! Most kitchen waste can be composted, but it’s important to know what to include and what to avoid.

What you can compost:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps

• Coffee grounds and filters

• Tea bags (without synthetic materials)

• Eggshells (crushed)

• Bread and grains (in small amounts)

• Nut shells

• Herb and plant trimmings

  
  

What to avoid:

• Meat, fish, and dairy products (these attract pests and cause odours)

• Oils and greasy foods

• Diseased plants

• Pet waste

• Synthetic materials like plastic or foil

  
  

By sticking to the right materials, you’ll create healthy compost without problems.

Kitchen scraps collected for composting in a container

What materials are required for composting Kitchen waste at home balcony or backyard?

Choose Composting Bin or Container Based on Composting Location:

Indoor / Balcony

• 15–20 Ltrs plastic bucket with lid

• Airtight terracotta pot (Khamba model)

• Food-grade HDPE bin

• Bokashi bin for odor-free composting

Outdoor / Terrace / Garden

• 40–80 Ltrs aerated compost bin

• Drum composter (with lid and holes)

• Wooden or plastic crate composter

Greens and Brown Materials

Greens are plant-based organic waste:

• Vegetable peels

• Fruit scraps

• Coffee grounds

• Tea powder / tea bags

• Cooked rice (small amounts)

• Spoiled vegetables

• Small amounts of cooked food (non-oily)

• Crushed eggshells

• Expired bread

Browns are dry materials for odor control & quick composting.

• Dry leaves

• Cocopeat / coco coir

• Shredded newspaper

• Cardboard bits

• Sawdust

• Paper towels

• Coconut husk

• Dry garden waste

• Straw, hay

Adding a spoon of Microbes / Compost Starter every 2–3 days accelerates decomposition.

You can compost without a starter, BUT using one makes it faster & cleaner.

• Microbes powder (EM1, compost accelerator)

• Buttermilk or curd water

• Old compost (handful)

• Jaggery water (for EM activation)

Mixing Tool to turn and aerate the compost every 2 to 4 days:

• Small garden fork

• Trowel

• Long stick

• Compost aerator tool

Moisture Control Items for balancing dryness & wetness during Composting process

• Spray bottle (for wetting dry compost)

• Extra newspaper for absorbing moisture

• Dry cocopeat / sawdust for oily waste

• Cloth sheet to cover excess moisture

Material to Place at the bottom of the bin prevents soggy compost:

• Dry leaves

• Cocopeat

• Cardboard strips

• Brown paper

Safety & Convenience Items for Preparing Compost at Your Home

• Rubber gloves

• Mask (if sensitive to dust)

• Compost mat for flooring

• Separate kitchen compost pot (countertop bin)

• Filter mesh for aeration holes

How to Compost Kitchen waste at your Home?

Composting kitchen and food scraps is a straightforward approach. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you build a compost pile at your home or with in your community setup.

1. Choose a compost bin: You can buy a compost bin or make one yourself. For small spaces, a counter top compost bin with a lid works well.

2. Ensure the composting container has holes for airflow and a lid to control moisture.

3. Collect your scraps: Keep a small container in your kitchen to collect fruit peels, vegetable scraps, eggshells, and tea bags.

4. Balance your greens and browns: Greens are nitrogen-rich materials like fruit and vegetable scraps. Browns are carbon-rich materials like dry leaves, paper, or cardboard. A good mix is about 2 parts browns to 1 part greens.

5. Add scraps to the compost bin: Layer your kitchen scraps with browns to keep the compost balanced and avoid bad smells.

6. Turn the compost regularly: Aerate your compost by mixing it every few days. This helps speed up decomposition.

7. Keep it moist: Compost should be damp like a wrung-out sponge. Add water if it’s too dry.

8. Harvest your compost: After a few weeks to months, your compost will turn dark and crumbly. Use it in your garden or potted plants.

   
   

Remember, patience is key. Composting is a natural process that takes time but rewards you with rich soil.

Tips for Successful Composting

To make your composting journey smooth and effective, here are some practical tips:

• Chop scraps into smaller pieces: This speeds up decomposition.

• Manage compost temperature: Ideal compost temperature is between 55-65°C. This helps kill pathogens and seeds.

• Start and end with browns: Add four- to six-inch layers of bulky browns such as twigs and wood chips.

• Avoid over watering: Too much moisture can cause bad smells and slow down the process.

• Add garden waste: If you have access to dry leaves or grass clippings, add them to balance the compost.

• Keep pests away: Use a bin with a tight lid and avoid adding meat or oily foods.

• Use a worm bin: Vermi composting uses worms to break down scraps faster and produce nutrient-rich castings.

  
  

By following these tips, you’ll enjoy a hassle-free composting experience.

Benefits of Using Your Finished Compost

• Improves the health of your soil by adding organic matter.

• Helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients.

• Attracts beneficial organisms to the soil and reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers.

• Reduces the potential for soil erosion.

• Sequesters carbon in the soil.

• Builds resiliency to the impacts of natural disasters.

How Composting Supports a Greener India

India faces significant waste management challenges. Composting kitchen scraps can play a vital role in reducing the burden on landfills and promoting sustainable agriculture.

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions: Organic waste in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Composting prevents this.

• Improves urban waste management: Encouraging composting at home reduces the volume of waste cities need to handle.

• Supports organic farming: Compost enriches soil naturally, reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers.

• Creates job opportunities: Composting initiatives can generate employment in waste collection and processing.

  
  

By adopting composting, we contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment and support India’s sustainability goals.

Ready to Start Your Composting Journey?

If you’re inspired to begin, remember that every small effort counts. Start with a simple kitchen bin, collect your scraps, and watch the magic happen. For more detailed guides and eco-friendly products to help you compost, check out our online eco marketplace.

Together, we can turn kitchen scraps into gold for our gardens and our planet. Happy composting!