Compost v garbage disposal

[Anonymous]

We just started composting. If we have food scraps that we would use the garbage disposal for normally, should we compost it? Or the point is to keep food out of the landfill so the garbage disposal food doesn’t need to go in there?

[Anonymous]

We do both- most gets scraped into food waste bin, tiny bits get washed down drain and that’s where disposal is handy. Could do it with mesh drain trap I guess-

Glad you are composting! We have one tiny city garbage bin for 4 people- compost is awesome.

[Anonymous]

It takes more energy to get the food out of the water during treatment. If it is not compostable, it should go in the trash and not through the water system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do both- most gets scraped into food waste bin, tiny bits get washed down drain and that’s where disposal is handy. Could do it with mesh drain trap I guess-

Glad you are composting! We have one tiny city garbage bin for 4 people- compost is awesome.

+1 and you still will have cooked veggies mixed with oil/fat that should not be composted. You could use a mesh drain, but your trashbin would stink, unless you take it out every night. We have both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It takes more energy to get the food out of the water during treatment. If it is not compostable, it should go in the trash and not through the water system.

I think OP is asking if a small amount of food waste IS compostable, but also could go in the garbage disposal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do both- most gets scraped into food waste bin, tiny bits get washed down drain and that’s where disposal is handy. Could do it with mesh drain trap I guess-

Glad you are composting! We have one tiny city garbage bin for 4 people- compost is awesome.

+1 and you still will have cooked veggies mixed with oil/fat that should not be composted. You could use a mesh drain, but your trashbin would stink, unless you take it out every night. We have both.

Why do you not compost your oil/cooked veggies? I don’t have a large enough yard for home composting but I hope to soon and am curious about this.

[Anonymous]

Trash or compost. Food in disposal is terrible for pipes.

[Anonymous]

Don’t compost dairy or meat products. Please read this (or just google and find an article on your own)
https://www.thespruce.com/what-to-compost-1709069

[Anonymous]

Garbage disposal because DC water treatment strains the biomaterial out and creates a fantastic fertilizer that they can’t keep in stock.


I think this is it: https://www.dcwater.com/biosolids

Apparently among farmers it’s super popular. Someone explained it all to me at a cocktail party.

Full disclosure: I’m not a gardener and unsure if biosolids are the same as fertilizer.

[Anonymous]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/05/biosolids-toxic-chemicals-pollution

[Anonymous]

Don't try to compost food. Free buffet will invite all sorts of creatures for you and your neighbors.

[Anonymous]

In Arlington, you can compost all food scraps including meat and dairy and oils in the green bin:
https://www.arlingtonva.us/files/sharedassets/public/recycling/images/foodscrapswhattocompost.jpg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do both- most gets scraped into food waste bin, tiny bits get washed down drain and that’s where disposal is handy. Could do it with mesh drain trap I guess-

Glad you are composting! We have one tiny city garbage bin for 4 people- compost is awesome.

+1 and you still will have cooked veggies mixed with oil/fat that should not be composted. You could use a mesh drain, but your trashbin would stink, unless you take it out every night. We have both.

\

Who doesn't take out their kitchen trash every night? Something in there always stinks!

[Anonymous]

The idea is to make use of materials rather than letting them go into waste facilities - landfills, residue in water treatment, clogging up pipes are all bad.

Here's my breakdown:
Garbage disposal: small scraps of food as I'm rinsing off dishes
Compost: plant matter with no fat/oil, eggshells (they don't technically compost but they are good for soil so I combine them). No meat, dairy, etc.
Trash bin: all other food waste

[Anonymous]

If you have a commercial composting service, you can also compost meat/bones, dairy, etc.