Home Composting

The Complete Composter

Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources
PUB-WA-182
2017
 Composting saves A Burning Question
money and resources What about burning yard materials? As
people recognize the value of yard materials
Composting yard materials saves money for
for mulch or compost, fewer people are
you and your municipality. By using your
burning them. Burning pollutes the air, creates
yard materials to make compost, you save the
fire hazards and can be a health risk and
cost of buying soil amendments to improve
nuisance to neighbors. State air quality and
your yard and gardens. Municipalities save
fire control rules restrict backyard burning,
money and resources when yard materials
and many communities prohibit it entirely.
are managed on-site versus operating drop-
off sites or curbside collection programs.

Besides having value as a resource

Table of Contents
themselves, yard materials would take Hot composting . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
up a lot of valuable landfill space if not
composted or used as mulch. Wisconsin law Cool composting . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
was changed in 1993 to ban leaves, grass
Food scrap composting . . . . . . . . 6
clippings, garden debris, and twigs, brush
and branches (6” in diameter or smaller) Piles, bins and barrels . . . . . . . . . 7
from going to these disposal sites. From
2012–2015 alone, Wisconsin diverted more Trench or pit method . . . . . . . . . 10
than 5.6 million tons of these materials from
Worm bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
landfill disposal.
Jumping worms and your compost . 14
Compost is considered a soil amendment,
not a fertilizer, because it does so much more Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
than just provide nutrients such as nitrogen, Frequently asked questions . . . . . 17
phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K). As a
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
soil amendment, compost will improve soil
structure and tilth. Compost will also help soil
hold more moisture and allows plant roots
to penetrate more easily. Adding compost to
your soil will increase the number and type
of microbes in the soil, helping plants obtain
nutrients and keeping a balance among
microbes to help limit the number of disease-
causing organisms.

The overall benefit of using compost as a soil

amendment is that it improves soil health,
which in turn can lead to healthier plants.

2 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 3

 Hot composting Cool composting
A hot compost pile breaks down yard Cool composting is the laid-back way to
materials rapidly. The microbes found in the recycle your yard materials. A cool pile is
soil and yard materials are the workhorses of built a little at a time or all at once, but little
the compost pile. Give them a mix of brown turning is needed. Always put a layer of
and green materials, water and oxygen, brown materials (leaves, hay, straw) on the
and the microbes will multiply, heat your top to control odors.
pile, and help it decompose faster. The pile
may reach 140° F or more. Pile temperatures A cool compost pile remains cool because:
about 130° can kill weed seeds and plant
• it contains little or no green materials,
pathogens. Ideally your pile will be at least
one cubic yard in size which equates to a • moisture isn’t added, so sometimes the
pile three feet tall by three feet wide. Piles materials may dry out, and/or
smaller than this may not achieve higher • the pile may be too small to sustain
composting temperatures. higher temperatures. All of these
conditions result in slower composting
You build your hot pile all at one time by
than with the hot pile method.
combining two parts of brown materials
with every one part of green materials. Some In a cool compost pile, grass clippings and
people will build the pile in layers, but feel other high-nitrogen green materials should
free to mix them all together as you build. be mixed with brown materials. Use the
Water is also important; add it as you build same ratio for materials as with a hot pile,
your pile. The materials should feel as damp 2 parts brown to 1 part green. Do not add
as a wrung-out sponge. diseased plants or any portion of invasive
plants or their seeds, as your compost might
Hot compost piles need periodic turning to not reach high enough temperatures to
mix materials, to open pore spaces that allow destroy the disease or viable parts of plants
oxygen to circulate, and to expose all pile and their seeds.
materials to the higher temperatures found
in the center of the pile. After you have built You may turn a cool compost pile
your pile, turn the pile every week for four occasionally or let it sit. Turning is the
weeks and then every other week for the next solution if odors develop (usually from excess
two months. Add water as needed to keep the green materials being added or the materials
materials moist. The organisms in the pile will becoming too moist). Finished compost can
become inactive if they are too dry. Overly wet take 6 to 12 months.
materials will not allow air circulation and
Cool composting is ideal for a household that
may produce undesirable odors and toxins
needs to manage material, has enough space
that may be harmful to plants.
to allow material to sit for 1–2 years, and
Hot composting is ideal for a household that wants to put minimum work into managing
has lots of yard materials, wants a finished their yard materials.
product in a short amount of time, and is
willing to actively work the material.

4 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 5

 Food scrap composting Soil incorporation via trench
composting
Food scraps may be composted in three
Soil incorporation is the simplest method of
ways: hot or cool composting, trench
composting food scraps from the list above.
composting or using a worm bin. Check with
Dig a hole or trench, chop the food scraps
your community to learn if there are any
and mix them into the soil, and then cover
ordinances related to food waste composting.
them with at least 8” of additional soil.
What food scraps can I compost?
Hot or cool composting
• Fruits, including peels, rinds, cores
Food scraps may be composted using the hot
• Vegetables, including pumpkin shells, or cool method. Bury food scraps 8-10 inches
onion skins into the center of the material or cover them
• Coffee grounds and paper filters with a layer of dried leaves, hay, straw, or
other brown material. A hot pile can make
• Tea leaves and bags
finished compost in as little as 2-3 months.
without staples or stickers
• Eggshells Add only uncooked vegetable or plant-based
See Home Composting Materials for further scraps from the list above. Vegetables cooked
information (DNR publication WA-1785) in steam or water only and with no sauce,
butter, or oil may also be composted. Using
an enclosed bin or making a habit of burying
What foods do NOT go into my
or covering food waste helps keep animals
backyard compost pile?
out of your compost.
• Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, sour
cream, butter, sauces or foods containing Piles, bins and barrels
these, etc.)
No matter what composting method you use
• Meat, poultry, fish, lard, any type of
(hot vs. cold, pile vs. open bin vs. enclosed
bones
bin), decomposition will occur faster if the
• Foods containing oils or fats such materials are reduced in size to about ½
as peanut butter, salad dressing, inch. However, it’s important that not all the
mayonnaise, margarine, cooking oil, materials are very small; this will slow air
many sauces circulation, and very frequent turning will be
While these foods may be acceptable in needed to keep the microbes supplied with
commercial or municipal composting oxygen. Larger pieces of materials, such as
programs, home composting does not wood chips, help to provide structure for the
create the conditions needed to successfully pile and create spaces for air movement.
compost them without odor or nuisance
Too much moisture or green material (such
animal problems.
as grass clippings) may cause odor problems.
To minimize odors, mix in some leaves or
bulky yard materials and turn the pile more
frequently to let air inside.

6 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 7

 Any of the following structures could be easily turned with a pitchfork. Wire mesh can
used for hot or cold composting. Check the be substituted for wooden sides to increase air
references at the end of this booklet for links flow. Covering the bin keeps your compost
to more detailed plans. from getting soaking wet in heavy rains.

Compost pile Barrel/drum composter

Many people are successful using a compost A barrel or drum composter can provide an
pile. Make a pile of leaves and grass into easy mechanism for turning or mixing your
a corner of the yard, and let nature do the compost. This method requires a barrel of
work. When adding food scraps to a pile, be at least 55 gallons with a secure lid. Be sure
sure to cover with a layer of brown materials your barrel was not used to store hazardous
or bury the scraps in the pile. materials.

Woven wire bin Drill 6-9 rows of 1/2 inch holes the length
of the barrel to allow for air circulation and
This simple, inexpensive bin uses only a drainage of excess moisture. Place barrel
length of woven wire fencing and a few upright on blocks to prevent excessive rusting
minutes of time to build. For a circular bin, if using a metal barrel.
multiply the diameter of the desired bin size
by 3.2 to get the length of fencing to buy. Fill 3/4 full with material. Every few days, turn
Fasten the ends with wire or three or four the rotating barrel or place the plain drum on
small chain snaps (available at hardware its side and roll it around the yard to mix and
stores) to make a circle. let air into the compost. The compost should
be ready in two to four months.
To turn the material in the bin, simply open
the bin up, move it, and turn the material This is an easy system for city dwellers where
back into the bin at its new location. To make there is a small amount of material. This
the bin more stable, attach the sides to posts. rolling barrel design is one of the easiest to
To make a bin that will be the right size to build at home. Because of the small size of
keep the compost from freezing during winter, the structure, yard materials in the drum will
use a piece of woven wire with a 4’ height usually freeze during a Wisconsin winter.
and approximately 16’ long and overlap ends
by only about 9” to make a circular bin with Three-chambered bin
a diameter of 4-5 feet and a volume of about
This efficient and durable design yields quick
64 cubic feet.
results. It works like an assembly line with
three batches of compost in different stages
Wooden pallet bin
of decomposition. Material is started in the
Old wooden pallets are an first bin and allowed to decompose for 3-5
inexpensive, readily available weeks. Then it is turned into the middle bin
building material. Pallets can for another 4-7 weeks. The material in the
easily be wired together to middle bin is turned into the third and last
form a bin. Build bins with bin as finished or nearly finished compost.
removable fronts or sides so New material is started in the first bin each
that yard materials can be time it is emptied.

8 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 9

 This structure should be made from rot- At the end of the summer, when the garden is
resistant wood such as cedar, plastic lumber, done, cover the trench with 1-3 inches of soil.
or metal posts and wire mesh or hardware Do not add food scraps until you are ready
cloth. Each bin should be approximately 3-5 to cover the trench and use 8 or more inches
feet wide by 3-5 feet high. Putting removable of soil or more. Next year dig a trench in a
slats in the front and between bins offers different part of the garden.
easier access to the contents for turning.
Another design option is making the fronts A pit is a variation of the trench. Dig a pit
removable doors rather than wooden slats. about 1-4 feet deep, and follow the directions
Plastic or hardware cloth can be used to make above for a trench.
tops for shedding heavy rain or snow.
Worm bins
Commercial compost bins Using worm bins is a fun and easy way
There are many manufactured compost bins to compost food scraps and is known as
on the market made of recycled plastic, metal vermicomposting. Worm bins use redworms
or wood. Check out your local garden center, (not earthworms) to eat food scraps and turn
home supply stores, or the Internet. Many them into worm castings — a useful garden
local communities have annual compost bin fertilizer. Specifically the worm species Eisenia
sales through their recycling program, UW fetida should be used for vermicomposting.
Extension or other programs.
Worm bins are commonly made from
simple wood boxes or plastic tubs with lids.
Trench or pit method Put redworms in the box with shredded,
The trench moistened newsprint, corrugated cardboard
method is easy or shredded office paper. A good rule of
and can be done thumb for sizing the box is to build one
right in the square foot of surface for every pound of food
garden or next waste generated per week. Have the bin be no
to the garden more than 12-18 inches high since redworms
plot. Dig a are surface feeders.
trench 1-2 feet deep and 1-3 feet wide. Fill the
trench with leaves, grass, garden debris, and One of the easiest boxes to build is called the
other yard materials throughout the summer. 1-2-3 box — sides are 1 foot high, the box is
Extend the trench or dig additional trenches 2 feet deep from front to back, and 3 feet wide
as needed. It’s not necessary to turn the yard from side to side (6 square feet surface area),
materials, but doing so will usually speed up with aeration holes in the bottom and a
the composting and improve compost quality. simple covering of black plastic over the top.
A box this size will handle about 6 pounds of
When choosing the location for a trench, food scraps per week.
remember that you don’t want the trench to
dry out or to fill up with water. Also if you Drill air holes in the bottom of the wooden or
pile soil next to the trench, think about where plastic box, and keep the lid ajar so the box
rain could wash that soil; you may wish to is dark, slightly moist, and ventilated. The
cover your soil pile with a tarp. worms will not leave the box as long as it is

10 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 11

 kept relatively moist and there is enough food Feeding your worms
available. Don’t add more food than worms Once you add the redworms to their new
can eat or you will have odor problems. home, you can start feeding them your food
scraps. They will eat lettuce leaves, apple
Optimal temperature for worm bins is
cores, potato peels, watermelon rinds, coffee
between 50°–75° F. Do not let the temperature
grounds—the list is long. Just as in standard
drop below this level as their feeding will slow
composting, avoid dairy and meat products,
down; if the temperature falls below 32o F, the
oils, and foods containing fats or oils.
worms will die. Worm bins are usually kept in
the house to keep the temperature in the right Add food scraps to the worm bin by digging
range. Some people keep their worm bins in a hole in the bedding at one corner of the
the basement. Others prefer a spot under the bin and burying the scraps in the bedding.
kitchen sink. The next day, bury the scraps at the alternate
corner of the bin; continue alternating sides
Redworms may be purchased at bait shops,
of the bin and location each day. Some people
other stores which sell fishing supplies,
simply add food scraps to the top of the
or from the Internet. Be sure to purchase
bedding. This method works, but it can cause
redworms (Eisenia fetida) and not
odors. If your bin gets smelly, simply add more
earthworms or other worm varieties. They
bedding material to the bin. Add some fresh
consume half their own weight in food each
bedding at least every two months.
day! Redworms are only about 2 to 4 inches
long when full grown. They are not native to
Wisconsin so do not release them into nature Harvesting your compost
if you ever need to find them a new home. As the worms eat their way through the
Instead, pass them on to another worm materials in your bin, the contents of the bin
composter, or place them in a sealed plastic darken and begin to smell moist and earthy.
bag in the trash. This is the vermicompost, your finished product.

Making a worm There are a couple of easy ways to harvest

home your vermicompost. One way is to carefully
move the finished compost to one side of the
Once the worm bin is bin, and fill the empty side with fresh, moist
built, shred newspaper bedding material. Give the worms 4 or 5 weeks
or office paper into to move over to the new bedding materials,
1 1/2 inch-wide-strips and then remove the finished vermicompost.
until you have about
10 pounds of shredded Another method is to put a can filled with
newspaper. Add a food scraps and fresh bedding into the finished
small amount of sand compost. Punch holes in the sides and the
to provide grit for the bottom of the can large enough for the worms
worms’ gizzard. Add water gradually until to enter. In 4 or 5 weeks, the can should be
the bedding materials are as wet as a wrung- filled with worms. The finished compost can
out sponge. The worms will eat the bedding be removed from the bin without the worms.
material and sand as well as your food Remember to refill the bin with fresh, moist
scraps. bedding material.

12 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 13

 Using worm compost Definitions
Vermicompost is a rich soil enhancer. It
Yard materials: leaves, grass clippings,
contains many nutrients needed to grow
yard and garden debris, and brush no greater
strong, healthy plants in your house and in
than 6 inches in diameter. Includes garden
your garden. Some of the ways it can be used:
vegetable plants, tree seeds, pine needles,
• Mix with peat weeds, flowering plants, seeds, small woody
moss, garden materials, and pine cones.
loam, vermiculite
Tilth: suitability of soil for growing plants.
or sand to make
potting soil. Green materials: yard materials that are
• Sprinkle on your usually green in color and contain lots of
houseplants soil as nitrogen. Examples are green garden plants,
a top dressing. grass clippings, and fruit and vegetable
scraps. These materials should be mixed into
• Spread 1 inch thick
the compost pile within a couple of days.
on the surface of
your garden or dig Brown materials: yard materials that are
it into soil. usually brown in color and contain lots of
• Add by the handful when you transplant carbon. Examples are dry leaves, wood chips
vegetables and other plants in your and twigs. Brown materials can be stored and
garden. mixed into the compost pile along with the
fresh green materials. Paper is also considered
a brown material.

Compost: a soil-like material rich

Jumping worms and in stabilized carbon produced by the
breakdown of yard materials and sometimes
your compost food scraps (see food scrap composting
section for more details).
Keep an eye out for jumping worms, an
invasive species, in your yard and compost.
Jumping worms produce a grainy soil that
looks like hardened coffee grounds. If you
suspect jumping worms in your compost,
remove all the worms you find and place
them in a sealed plastic bag for disposal.
Additional information and management
tips can be found on DNR’s jumping worm
page at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Invasives/
fact/jumpingWorm/index.html

14 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 15

 Composting: the decomposition of organic Frequently asked
matter, such as yard materials and food
scraps, by microbes in the presence of
questions
moisture and oxygen that produces heat and
a soil amendment called compost. When should I start my composting?
Mulch: the term mulch is used differently Start your pile any time in spring, summer
by different people. Often mulch refers to or fall. Be sure to save several bags of leaves
materials that are placed on the ground in fall so you have brown materials to use
surface to limit weed growth and to hold soil the following summer when you have lots of
moisture. Leaves or grass clippings can be green grass and garden debris.
used around vegetable plants, and wood bark
or chips can be used around woody-stemmed
What ratio of different materials
and forest-type plants. Yard materials may be
should I add to my compost?
used as mulch without being composted. You
can also make mulch of grass clippings right The ratio of different materials is the amount
on the lawn with a mower. of one kind of material versus another. A
good ratio to use is at least 2 parts brown
material to 1 part green material (see
definitions above). While having a lower ratio
of brown to green makes the pile decompose
more quickly, having too much green
material will cause your pile to need frequent
turning to keep up with decomposition and
may lead to odor issues and less nitrogen
being held in the pile.

Do compost piles freeze in winter?

Home compost piles usually freeze during
Wisconsin winters, but will restart on
their own when they thaw in spring.
Note: Before bringing wood mulch onto your Approximately 64 cubic feet of materials is
property, make sure it won’t be a source of disease needed to prevent freezing, and this amount
or insects. If you treat your grass with herbicide, of material may remain somewhat active
mulch it right on the lawn with your mower; don’t (decomposition may continue to occur but
move it to other plantings. at a greatly reduced rate). A much larger
amount of material, probably too much for a
home composter to manage, or an insulated
bin would be needed to maintain a hot
composting pile through winter.

16 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 17

 Why are pet wastes not acceptable to a compost pile, consider using your lawn
use in compost? mower to chop them into finer pieces before
Pet wastes from cats, dogs, meat-eating adding them to your pile. This will expose
animals and birds may contain disease more surface area to the microbes and speed
organisms which can be transmitted to up the compost process.
humans. These organisms are destroyed by
high heat, but home composting typically Can I use agriculture lime on my
doesn’t reach the necessary temperatures. compost pile?
Manure from plant-eating animals can be
composted safely but should be done only in Lime is not recommended as it can slow the
a hot pile. composting process and cause ammonia
odors due to a higher pH in the compost pile.

Can I add pine needles to my compost?

Can I add toxic weeds or plants to my
Pine needles are high in resin, which can compost pile?
make them difficult to compost. Pine needles
make good mulch for acid-loving plants such Many of the native plants and weeds in
as lilies of the valley, blueberries, raspberries, Wisconsin that produce toxins (black walnut
blackberries, roses and conifers. The best or butternut leaves, nightshade, monkshood,
use of pine needles is to leave them under etc.) can be added to your compost pile.
the pine tree where they fall. Pine needles Compost these in small amounts only. However,
condition the soil and protect the shallow root black walnut or butternut leaves should not
system of their parent tree. be used as mulch without prior composting.
To identify a specific plant and see if it is
No more than 10 percent of a mixed yard toxic, check with the local library or the
material compost pile should be pine needles. County Extension agent before adding it to
Some gardeners compost pine needles with your compost pile or using it as mulch.
leaves or another carbon source separately for
their acid-loving plants.
Where should I put my compost pile?
Here are some guidelines on where to locate
Can I add oak leaves to my compost?
your compost pile:
Oak leaves compost well, but a little slower.
Although they are initially acidic, the • Within reach of water with a garden
compost process is a great neutralizer. Once hose
oak leaves are composted, the finished • In a convenient area near garden or
compost will have a pH close to neutral. house
To help oak leaves break down faster in • Protected from direct winds
• In a spot with good drainage
• Three feet away from buildings
• Away from neighbors’ windows

18 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 19

 What if I don’t have enough materials Will the compost pile attract animals?
of the right kinds for a compost pile? You might see animals around your compost
Sometimes you will end up with too much pile if you are composting food scraps
of one type of material, and not enough improperly. Food scraps should be buried
of another. Here are some suggestions for 8–10 inches into the center of a compost
balancing out your compost pile: pile. DO NOT throw food scraps on top of
your compost pile at any time! Animals may
Not Enough Grass: Add another nitrogen
come around if you supply them with an
source to your compost. Add more coffee
easy food source.
grounds, a 2-inch layer of livestock manure,
or 1 cup of blood meal.
Not Enough Leaves: Add a bulking material What happens to pesticides when they
such as wood chips, small sticks or straw to are composted?
provide a carbon source and allow air to Pesticides include herbicides (weed killers),
circulate through the pile. Composting grass, fungicides (fungus killers) and insecticides
which is a source of high nitrogen and easily (insect killers). Most pesticides which are
compacts, without a bulking material can currently available to homeowners are
create a strong ammonia smell. degradable organophosphates. The active
ingredients in most pesticides usually break
down in 6-8 weeks.
Does a composting require a license
or approval? Grass clippings or weeds treated with
organophosphate pesticides can be safely
Usually compost piles are fine as long as
mixed into a compost pile or mulched back
they are maintained in a nuisance-free
onto your lawn. However, hard-to-control
manner. However, check with your local
invasive plants are sometimes treated with
municipality to see if there are any backyard
herbicides containing other active ingredients
composting rules. Your local community may
that break down much more slowly. Plants
have additional requirements or limitations
treated with these long-lasting herbicides will
on backyard composting of food scraps.
produce contaminated compost that could
Composting of only yard materials, vegetable
kill plants to which it is applied.
wastes and manure, if less than 50 cubic
yards in size at one time, does not require an WARNING: Uncomposted grass and weeds
approval or license from the DNR. treated with any pesticide should not be used
as mulch.

Will the compost pile smell bad?

It shouldn’t. A properly-tended pile won’t When can I use my compost?
create unpleasant odors. Turning the pile Generally it’s best to let your compost mature
to add oxygen or adding a bulking carbon before using it. You’ll know the compost
source should end an odor problem quickly. is mature when the materials are dark in
Finished compost has an earthy, greenhouse color and have a texture like soil. Immature
smell. compost may prevent seed germination and
kill plants because it is still breaking down
and heating. Small amounts of immature

20 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 21

 compost may be used infrequently around Composting: How Organic Gardeners
mature plants if kept 4 inches away from the Let it Rot and Make Homegrown
stem but should not be used on seedlings or Humus, Gaia Rodale, CreateSpace
for seed starting. Independent Publishing Platform, 2014
Let It Rot! The Gardener’s Guide to
What about stumps and root balls? Composting. Stu Campbell, Storey
Books, 1998
Stumps, roots or
shrubs with intact Small Scale or Backyard Composting,
root ball may still Cornell Waste Management
be sent to landfills Institute, http://cwmi.css.cornell.
or incinerators edu/smallscale.htm
which burn solid Making and Using Compost in the
waste to recover Garden, UW Extension Horticulture,
energy. If you have 2013, https://hort.uwex.edu/
room and are very patient, you could also articles/making-and-using-compost-
compost them in a separate, long-term pile. in-the-garden/
UW Extension Learning Store
barrel composter plans, https://
References learningstore.uwex.edu/Barrel-
Composter-P1692.aspx.
This booklet is designed to answer some of
Also available from this website are plans
the common questions people have about
for can, concrete block, wire mesh, wood
composting and yard management. If you
& wire, pallet, and 3-bin composters
are interested in more information on these
topics, check online or with your local library UW Extension Master Composter
for the following publications: Home Study Course, https://
learningstore.uwex.edu/
Composting overview, Wisconsin
Master-Composter-Home-Study-
DNR, http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/
Course-P1780.aspx
Recycling/Compost.html -includes
general information and downloadable Vermicomposting: Composting with
publications Worms, University of Nebraska-
Lincoln Extension, http://
Composting at Home, U.S. EPA,
lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/
vermicompost107.shtml
composting-home
Worms Eat My Garbage, 2nd edition.
Composting at School, Wisconsin
Applehof, Mary, Flower Press, 2003
School Garden Network (formerly
Wisconsin School Garden Initiative),
www.communitygroundworks.org/
content/school-garden-briefs#In_
the_Garden

22 HOME COMPOSTING THE COMPLETE COMPOSTER 23

 Other resources
For more information on composting or
DNR yard waste regulations, contact your
municipal recycling staff, a County Extension
Agent, or a DNR waste management
specialist.
Other yard waste management brochures
available from the DNR are:
PUB-WA-1785 Home Composting Materials
PUB-WA-072, Home Composting: Reap a
Heap of Benefits
PUB-WA-073, Yard Care: Do Your Share!

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

PO Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
608-266-2111

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

provides equal opportunity in its employment,
programs, services and functions under an
Affirmative Action Plan. If you have any
questions, please write to Equal Opportunity
Office, Department of the Interior, Washington,
D.C. 20240.
This publication is available in alternate format
(large print, Braille, audio tape, etc.) upon request.
Call 608-266-2111 for more information.

PUB-WA-182
Revised 2017

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