WHY WE COMPOST
In order to reduce waste costs while helping the environment, many Nova Scotians have embraced the goals of the Province's Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy, to reduce the quantity of waste requiring disposal by 50%. By composting, organic waste is turned into a product that enriches and enhances our soil. In the process, new jobs are created and new business opportunities are realized. In this way, everyone in the Province has the possibility of turning a problem into an opportunity.
What is composting?
Composting is simply allowing Nature to take its course by returning organic material to where it came from, the soil. Any material from a living source – plant or animal – is called "organic". For the purposes of backyard composting, however, we deal almost exclusively with plant material.
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​Compostable organic materials include:
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Food waste (including meat, fish, bones and dairy products);
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Leaf and yard waste; and
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Non-recyclable paper products.
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The following benefits are realized by keeping these valuable materials out of disposal sites:
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Fewer and safer disposal sites;
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Leachate reduction (landfill run-off);
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Methane reduction (a global warming gas);
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Job creation; and
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A product to enhance soil (for the growth of stronger, healthier plants).
Making Your Garden Grow
Adding compost to your garden helps your flowers and vegetables in two major ways: by supplying needed nutrients and by conditioning the soil. If you don't have a garden, compost will make your grass healthier. Spread it on your lawn and watch it create the same wonderful benefits for you that it does for your gardening friends. You can also use it indoors on your potted plants. In every case, the addition of compost will nourish your plants and protect them from disease.
Waste Reduction
Did you know that as much as 30% of the garbage produced in your home could be composted in your backyard? By not putting this material at the curb, you can reduce the need for landfill disposal and cut down on garbage collection, decreasing your municipality’s waste management costs.
Environmental Responsibility
Using compost in your garden means that you will be able to rely much less on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Some of these products have many points of environmental impact, from mining through chemical processing to their build-up in the natural environment. Their reduced use on lawns and gardens is good news for our precious land and water resources.