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Can I compost it? The UK A to Z list
Plain answers for 221 everyday things, from egg boxes and teabags to bread, pizza boxes and dog poo. If it's on this list, you'll know whether it goes in a home compost bin, and what to do with it if it doesn't.
- Yes please 68 items
- Check first 78 items
- Keep out 75 items
The short version: fruit and veg peelings, plain card, coffee grounds and soft garden waste go in. Meat, fish, dairy, cooked food, bread and pet poo stay out, because they draw rats and smell. Anything marked check first is fine in the right form or in small amounts.
Nothing matches that yet. Try another word, or check the main ingredient.
Fruit and veg
Fruit and veg peelings Yes please
The backbone of good compost. Add them as you go and cover fresh scraps with a few leaves or some torn card to keep fruit flies away.
Banana skins Yes please
Yes please. They rot down quickly, especially if you tear them up a bit.
Apple cores and peel Yes please
Yes please. Whole windfalls are fine too, but chop them so they break down faster.
Windfall fruit A little at a time
Yes, but chop it up and add a few at a time with torn card. A big pile of rotting fruit can get slimy and draw wasps.
Mouldy fruit and veg Yes please
Yes please. Mould is just the composting starting early. Mix it in with some torn card.
Citrus peel Best left out
We leave it out of a small bin. Citrus peel is slow to break down and is often waxed. A few bits won't hurt, but if you get through lots, use your council food caddy.
Onion skins and scraps Yes please
Yes. Raw onion, garlic and leek scraps all compost fine. Chop whole onions so they don't try to sprout.
Potato peelings Yes please
Yes please. Chop up any whole or sprouting potatoes first, or they may grow in your bin. Keep out blighted potatoes.
Blighted potatoes or tomatoes Keep out
Keep out. The RHS advises that blight can form tough resting spores that may survive a home compost bin. Put blighted plants and tubers in your council green waste or general waste.
Carrot peelings and tops Yes please
Yes please. Peelings, tops and old carrots all go in.
Brassica leaves and stalks Yes please
Yes. Chop thick stalks so they rot faster. Keep out any roots with clubroot (swollen, knobbly roots).
Clubroot-infected roots Keep out
Keep out. Clubroot spores can survive for many years and a home bin won't kill them. Put infected roots in general waste.
Salad leaves Yes please
Yes please, including slimy bagged salad. Take it out of the plastic bag first.
Tomatoes Yes please
Yes please. The seeds may survive and pop up where you spread the compost, which is easy to pull out. Keep out blighted plants.
Peppers and chillies Yes please
Yes please, seeds and all.
Cucumbers, courgettes and squash Yes please
Yes. Chop big ones like marrows and pumpkins into chunks so they break down faster.
Halloween pumpkins Yes, chopped
Yes. Take out any candle wax or tealight cases, then chop the pumpkin into chunks.
Sweetcorn cobs and husks Yes, chopped
Yes. Husks and silks rot fast. Cobs are slow, so snap or chop them into pieces.
Pea and bean pods Yes please
Yes please. Pods, old bean plants and pea haulm all compost well.
Mushrooms Yes please
Yes please, along with stalks and any that have gone slimy.
Avocado skins and stones Yes, but slow
Yes, but they are slow. Skins go in as they are. Cut or smash the stone, or it can take a year or more.
Fruit stones and pips Yes, but slow
Yes. Small stones and pips are fine. Big hard stones like peach and mango take a long time, so they may come out the other end. Pick them out and pop them back in.
Stone fruit Yes please
Yes please. Peaches, plums and cherries rot down quickly. The stones are slow but harmless.
Berries and soft fruit Yes please
Yes please, mould and all.
Pineapple tops and skin Yes, chopped
Yes. The tough skin and top are slow, so chop them into smaller pieces.
Exotic fruit skins Yes please
Yes please. Kiwi, passion fruit, pomegranate, papaya and similar skins all go in. Thick skins are quicker if torn up.
Coconut shells and husk Yes, but slow
Yes, but very slow. Smash the shell and tear the husk into small bits. Coir fibre is fine.
Pears and quinces Yes please
Yes please. Chop whole fruit.
Rhubarb leaves Yes please
Yes. They are poisonous to eat but compost perfectly well. The oxalic acid breaks down in the bin.
Celery and fennel Yes please
Yes please, leaves, bases and stringy bits.
Aubergines and okra Yes please
Yes please.
Ginger and turmeric Yes please
Yes, raw peel and old roots are fine.
Herbs Yes please
Yes please, fresh herbs, stalks and old pots of supermarket herbs (take the plant out of the plastic pot).
Dried herbs and spices A little at a time
Old jars of dried herbs and ground spices are fine in small amounts. Tip them in and recycle the jar.
Cocoa powder and cocoa shells Small amounts, no dogs
A little plain cocoa powder is fine. Cocoa shell mulch is poisonous to dogs, so keep it out if you have one. Drinking chocolate with sugar and milk powder stays out.
Dried fruit Small amounts, no dogs
Old dried fruit is fine in small amounts, mixed into the middle. Raisins, sultanas and currants are poisonous to dogs, so leave them out if you have one.
Juicer and smoothie pulp Yes please
Yes please. It rots down quickly, so mix it with torn card.
Pickled vegetables Keep out
Keep out. The vinegar, salt and sugar don't suit a small bin. Put them in your council food caddy.
Tinned fruit and veg Keep out
Keep out. Most tinned food has been cooked and sits in salt water or syrup, which can draw rats. Use your council food caddy.
Cooked vegetables Keep out
Keep out. Cooked food, even plain veg, is what draws rats and mice to a compost bin. Raw peelings are fine, but leftovers go in your council food caddy.
Cooked food, meat and dairy
Cooked food and leftovers Keep out
Keep out. Cooked food draws rats and mice, even in a sealed bin. Put plate scrapings and leftovers in your council food caddy.
Whole eggs Keep out
Keep out whole eggs, raw or cooked. They smell strongly as they rot and draw rats. Rinsed, crushed eggshells are welcome.
Bread, cakes and pastries Keep out
Keep out. Bread and baked goods are a magnet for rats and mice, and they go mouldy and smelly in a small bin. Use your council food caddy, or feed stale bread to the birds in small amounts.
Pasta, rice and grains Keep out
Keep out, cooked or dry. Grains and pasta draw rats and mice. Use your council food caddy.
Meat and poultry Keep out
Keep out. Meat draws rats, foxes and flies and smells as it rots. Use your council food caddy.
Bones Keep out
Keep out. Bones draw rats, foxes and dogs, and they take years to break down. Use your council food caddy.
Fish and seafood Keep out
Keep out. Fish smells strongly as it rots and draws rats, cats and foxes. Use your council food caddy.
Dairy Keep out
Keep out. Milk, cheese, butter and yoghurt go rancid, smell and draw rats. Use your council food caddy.
Plant milks and coconut milk Keep out
Keep out in any quantity. Oat, soya, almond and coconut milk go sour and smelly and draw pests. Pour leftovers down the sink. The carton goes in recycling.
Cooking oil and fat Keep out
Keep out. Oil and fat coat everything, stop air getting in and turn a bin slimy and smelly. Let small amounts set and put them in general waste. Many tips take large amounts of oil.
Mayonnaise, dressings and dips Keep out
Keep out. They are oily and often contain egg or dairy. Use your council food caddy.
Sweets, chocolate and snacks Keep out
Keep out. Sugary, salty and fatty snacks draw rats and wasps. Use your council food caddy.
Jam, honey and sugar Keep out
Keep out. Sugary food draws wasps, ants and rats. Small sticky residue on a jar lid is no problem, but don't tip out whole jars.
Nuts Keep out
Keep out whole nuts and nut kernels. They are a favourite food of rats, mice and squirrels. Shells are different, see nut shells.
Nut shells Yes, but slow
Yes, but slowly. Crush them first. Leave out salted shells in bulk and any with nut still inside, as that draws rodents. Walnut shells are fine in small amounts.
Seeds for eating and bird seed Keep out
Keep out. Seeds draw rodents and many will sprout in your compost. That includes spilt bird seed under the feeder.
Eggshells Yes please
Yes please. Rinse and crush them so they break down faster and don't smell of egg. Keep whole eggs out.
Coffee grounds Yes please
Yes please. Tip them straight in, paper filter and all. They are a great boost for the bin.
Coffee pods and capsules Usually not
Most pods are plastic or aluminium, so keep them out. Many brands run a recycling scheme. Pods labelled home compostable can go in, empty and torn. Ones that only say compostable or biodegradable need an industrial site.
Tea leaves Yes please
Yes please. Loose leaf tea is perfect for the bin.
Teabags Only if home compostable
Most UK teabags are sealed with PLA, a plant-based plastic that won't break down in a home bin. Boxes often call these plant-based, biodegradable or even plastic-free. Unless the box says home compostable, tear the bag open, tip the leaves in and put the bag in your council food caddy. Bags labelled home compostable, or stitched with cotton and not heat-sealed, can go in whole.
Wine, beer and cider A little at a time
Small amounts of leftover wine, beer or cider are fine and help keep the bin moist. Don't pour in whole bottles. Corks are covered separately.
Spent brewing grain Small amounts only
Small amounts are fine mixed well with card, but big loads of wet grain go smelly and draw rats. If you have a dog, see spent hops, as hops are poisonous to dogs.
Spent hops Not if you have a dog
Hops compost well, but they are poisonous to dogs, even after brewing. If you have a dog, keep them out. Otherwise mix small amounts in.
Fruit juice and soft drinks Keep out
Keep out. Sugary drinks draw wasps and ants. Pour them down the sink.
Vinegar and salt Keep out
Keep out in any quantity. Salt and vinegar harm the worms and soil life that do the work.
Water from cooking veg Yes please
Yes, once it has cooled, as long as it isn't salty. It helps keep a dry bin damp.
Fish tank, pond and rain water Yes please
Yes. Old aquarium, pond or rain water helps keep a dry bin damp and adds a little goodness. Leave out salt water from marine tanks.
Bath and washing-up water Best not
Best kept out. Soap and detergent don't help the worms. A splash is harmless, but use plain or rain water if the bin is dry.
Pet food Keep out
Keep out, wet or dry. Pet food contains meat and draws rats, foxes and cats. Use your council food caddy.
Gelatine and jelly Keep out
Keep out. Jelly and gelatine are animal products with lots of sugar, which draws pests.
Tofu and meat substitutes Keep out
Keep out. Tofu, Quorn and plant-based meats are cooked, protein-rich food that draws rats. Use your council food caddy.
Paper and card
Plain cardboard Yes please
Yes please. Tear it up and remove tape, labels and staples. It balances wet kitchen scraps and stops the bin going slimy.
Shiny or plastic-coated card Keep out
Keep out. Shiny, waxy or plastic-coated card has a plastic layer that won't break down. Put it in your recycling if your council takes it, otherwise general waste.
Egg boxes Yes please
Compost gold. Tear them up and they soak up wet peelings nicely. Plastic or foam boxes stay out.
Plastic or foam egg boxes Keep out
Keep out. Clear plastic and foam egg boxes won't break down. Recycle plastic ones if your council takes them.
Toilet and kitchen roll tubes Yes please
Yes please. Squash or tear them up.
Cereal and food boxes Yes please
Yes. Thin grey card like cereal, tea and pasta boxes is fine torn up. Take out the plastic inner bag and leave out boxes with a shiny or waxy coating.
Pizza boxes Yes, scraped clean
Yes, torn up, once you've scraped off cheese and food and torn off any badly greasy patches. Food left on them draws rats.
Newspaper Yes, in moderation
Yes, scrunched or torn and mixed in, not in thick layers. Recycling it is often better, so use it when your bin needs something dry.
Plain paper Yes please
Yes please. Office paper, scrap paper, paper bags and brown paper are all fine. Tear or scrunch it and mix it in.
Shredded paper Yes please
Yes please. It is ideal for soaking up wet scraps. Mix it in rather than adding a big wad, which can mat together.
Glossy paper and magazines Keep out
Keep out. Glossy magazines, brochures and photos are coated with clay or plastic and break down very slowly in a home bin. Recycle them.
Junk mail and envelopes Plain paper only
Plain paper junk mail and envelopes can go in, torn up. Take out plastic windows and stickers, and leave glossy leaflets out.
Padded and bubble envelopes Keep out
Keep out. They are lined with plastic bubbles or foam. Paper-padded envelopes filled with paper fluff can go in, torn up.
Till receipts Keep out
Keep out. Most receipts are shiny thermal paper with chemical coatings that you don't want in your soil. Put them in general waste.
Kitchen roll and paper towels Yes please
Yes please, as long as you haven't used it with cleaning sprays, bleach or oil. Food spills are fine.
Tissues Yes please
Yes please. Used tissues are fine. Leave out ones with lotion or balsam in bulk.
Wet wipes and baby wipes Keep out
Keep out. Most wipes contain plastic fibres, even flushable ones. Put them in general waste.
Paper plates and cups Plain paper only
Plain, uncoated paper plates can go in, torn and scraped. Most paper cups and many plates have a plastic lining, so keep those out.
Takeaway coffee cups Keep out
Keep out. Most takeaway cups are lined with plastic. Many coffee shops now take them back for recycling. Only cups marked home compostable can go in.
Drinks cartons Keep out
Keep out. Juice, milk and soup cartons are layers of card, plastic and foil. Most councils recycle them.
Greaseproof and baking paper Check first
Plain unbleached greaseproof paper is fine torn up. Many baking papers are coated with silicone, which won't break down, so keep those out if in doubt.
Paper cake cases Yes please
Yes, plain paper cases are fine. Foil cases stay out.
Paper straws Yes please
Yes, torn up. They are slow, so chop them small.
Books and paperbacks Better reused
Pages from plain paper books can go in torn up, but glossy covers and glued spines stay out. Charity shops will usually take old books.
Wallpaper Keep out
Keep out. Most wallpaper is vinyl-coated and covered in paste with fungicide in it.
Wrapping paper Plain paper only
Plain paper wrap can go in torn up. Shiny, foil or glittery paper stays out. A quick test: if it springs back when scrunched, it's not plain paper.
Greetings cards Plain card only
Plain card can go in torn up. Leave out glitter, foil, photos and any with batteries or plastic.
Children's drawings and paintings Small amounts
Paper with crayon, pencil, felt tip or poster paint is fine in small amounts, torn up. Leave out anything with glitter, stickers, laminating or lots of glue.
Sticky notes Yes please
Yes, in small amounts. The glue strip is tiny.
Paper teabag envelopes Yes please
Plain paper envelopes are fine. Foil or shiny ones stay out.
Corrugated packing and paper padding Yes please
Yes please. Crinkle paper, honeycomb paper and paper void fill are great for balancing wet scraps.
Cotton wool and cotton buds Pure cotton only
Pure cotton wool can go in. Cotton buds with paper sticks can too. Plastic-stemmed buds and make-up pads with synthetic fibres stay out.
Garden waste
Grass clippings A little at a time
Yes, but in thin layers mixed with torn card or twiggy bits. A thick layer of grass turns into slime. If your lawn was treated with weedkiller, check the label first.
Grass treated with weedkiller Check the label
Many lawn weedkillers say not to compost the first few cuts after spraying. Some types can survive composting and damage tomatoes and beans. Follow the label and leave those cuts out.
Leaves Yes, or make leaf mould
Yes, a few at a time. They are slow, so big piles of autumn leaves are better made into leaf mould in a separate bag or cage.
Evergreen leaves Small amounts, chopped
Small amounts are fine but slow. Laurel, holly, rhododendron and bay leaves are tough and waxy, so shred or chop them.
Conifer clippings and pine needles Small amounts only
Small amounts are fine. They are slow and acidic, so chop them and mix them well. Lots of leylandii is better in your council green waste.
Pine cones Yes, but slow
Yes, but very slow. Break them up or use them as a decoration instead.
Christmas trees Chopped small only
Small branches can go in chopped up, a few at a time. The needles are slow and acidic, so most trees are better taken to your council's tree collection.
Hedge trimmings Soft trimmings yes
Soft green trimmings are fine. Woody bits need chopping or shredding, or they take years.
Woody prunings and twigs Chopped or shredded
Yes, if you chop or shred them small. Twiggy bits help air move through the bin. Big branches are better in your council green waste.
Rose and bramble prunings Chopped small
Chop thorny stems small or shred them. Leave out bramble roots, which regrow, and rose leaves with black spot.
Wood chips and bark Yes, but slow
Yes, in small amounts. Chips and bark are slow but help keep the bin airy. Bigger quantities make a good path or mulch instead.
Sawdust and wood shavings Untreated wood only
Small amounts from untreated wood are fine. Leave out sawdust from MDF, chipboard, treated, painted or stained wood.
Treated or painted wood Keep out
Keep out. Treated, painted, stained or varnished wood, MDF and chipboard contain chemicals and glues you don't want in your veg beds.
Logs and big branches Too big
Too big for a compost bin. They would take many years. Use them for a wildlife log pile, or your council green waste.
Dead flowers and bedding plants Yes please
Yes please. Old bedding plants, deadheads and faded cut flowers all go in. Shake off any soil into the bin too.
Flower bouquets with extras Flowers only
The flowers and stems can go in. Take out wire, ribbon, cellophane, floral foam and the little sachet of flower food.
Floral foam Keep out
Keep out. Oasis-style floral foam is a plastic that crumbles into microplastics. Put it in general waste.
Plant cuttings and old plants Yes please
Yes please. Soft stems, leaves and whole spent plants all go in. Chop thick stems.
Bulbs Dead bulbs only
Dead or soft bulbs are fine. Healthy ones may sprout in your bin. Keep out any onion white rot or diseased bulbs.
Diseased plants Keep out
Keep out. A home bin doesn't get hot enough to kill many plant diseases, so they could come back when you spread the compost. Use your council green waste, which gets much hotter.
Pest-infested plants Usually fine
Plants with greenfly, blackfly or caterpillars are fine, as the pests die off. Keep out plants with vine weevil grubs or soil pests in the roots.
Slugs and snails Usually fine
Slugs and snails in a compost bin are helping break things down, not harming it. If you'd rather not spread them onto your veg beds, pick them out when you dig out the finished compost.
Annual weeds Yes, before they seed
Yes please, as long as they haven't flowered or set seed. Pull them young and add them straight in.
Weeds with seeds Keep out
Keep out. A home bin doesn't get hot enough to kill weed seeds, so you'd spread them with your compost.
Perennial weed roots Keep out
Keep out the roots. They can regrow in the bin. Either bin them, or drown them in a bucket of water for a few weeks until they are slimy, then add them.
Dandelions Leaves and flowers only
Leaves and flowers are fine before they turn into clocks. Keep out the long roots, which regrow, and the seed heads.
Nettles Leaves yes, roots no
Yes please, the leaves and stems are a great boost for the bin. Keep the yellow roots out, as they regrow.
Comfrey Yes please
Yes please. Comfrey leaves rot down fast and give the bin a boost. Keep roots out, as they regrow.
Ivy Chopped, no roots
Leaves and chopped stems are fine. Stems with roots on can regrow, so keep those out or let them dry out first.
Japanese knotweed Never
Never. It is controlled waste in the UK and even tiny pieces regrow. It can't go in compost bins, council green waste or household rubbish. Get specialist advice.
Bracken and ferns Young fronds best
Yes, chopped. Young green fronds rot quickly. Old brown bracken is slow but useful in small amounts.
Moss Small amounts
Small amounts of raked moss are fine mixed in. Leave out moss treated with moss killer.
Seaweed Yes please
Yes please. Rinse off salt if you can. It is full of goodness. Only collect it where it is allowed.
Straw and hay Yes please
Yes please. Straw is excellent for keeping the bin airy. Hay can carry grass seeds, so use it in small amounts.
Pond weed and algae Yes please
Yes please. Leave it on the side of the pond for a day so creatures can crawl back first. Keep out invasive pond plants.
Fallen fruit with pests Chop it small
Fruit with maggots or brown rot is fine in small amounts, chopped. For fruit with brown rot or codling moth, many growers prefer the council green waste.
Fruit and veg plants Yes please
Yes please. Spent courgette, squash, bean, pea, lettuce and herb plants all go in. Chop woody stems and keep out anything diseased.
Potato and tomato plants Only if blight-free
Healthy plants are fine. If the leaves had blight (brown patches and collapsed stems), keep them out and use council green waste.
Soil and old potting compost Yes please
Yes, in small amounts. A sprinkle of soil adds the microbes that get the bin going. Old potting compost from finished pots is ideal.
Turf Small pieces only
Small pieces can go in grass side down. Lots of turf is better stacked upside down on its own to make loam.
Stones, gravel and sand Keep out
Keep out. They won't compost and get mixed into your finished compost. A sprinkle of sand stuck to plants is fine.
Wood ash A little at a time
A thin sprinkle of cold ash from untreated wood is fine. Ash is very alkaline, so too much harms the worms. Never add it hot.
Coal and smokeless fuel ash Keep out
Keep out. Coal, coke and smokeless fuel ash contain sulphur and heavy metals that can harm plants.
Barbecue ash and charcoal Lumpwood only
Small amounts of cold ash from plain lumpwood charcoal are fine. Leave out briquettes, instant barbecues and anything with lighter fluid. Unburnt charcoal won't compost.
Animals and pets
Rabbit and guinea pig bedding Yes please
Yes please. Droppings and bedding from vegetarian pets, like hay, straw, paper and wood shavings, are excellent for compost.
Chicken manure A little at a time
Yes, mixed with plenty of straw, shavings or card. It is very strong, so add it in thin layers. Coop bedding is ideal.
Horse and cow manure Check where it came from
Yes, in layers. Ask the supplier if the field or feed was treated with weedkiller, as some types survive composting and damage tomatoes and beans.
Dog poo Keep out
Keep out. Dog and cat waste can carry parasites and diseases that a home bin won't kill. It must never go near food crops. Bag it and bin it.
Cat poo and cat litter Keep out
Keep out, including wood and paper litters once used. Cat waste can carry toxoplasmosis, which a home bin won't kill. Put it in general waste.
Dog and cat bedding Keep out
Keep out. Bedding from dogs and cats can carry parasites from their waste, and it is usually synthetic. Wash and donate it, or put it in general waste.
Pet hair and fur Yes please
Yes, in small amounts. Hair from brushing dogs, cats and horses is fine. Mix it in so it doesn't mat together. Birds also love it for nests in spring.
Human hair and nail clippings Yes please
Yes, in small amounts. Hair and nail clippings break down slowly but are fine. Leave out hair with lots of hair dye or styling products.
Feathers Yes please
Yes please. They break down slowly but add goodness. Leave out feather-filled pillows with synthetic fabric covers.
Wool Yes please
Yes, pure wool cut into small pieces. It is slow. Leave out wool blends with acrylic or nylon.
Dead animals Keep out
Keep out. They draw rats, foxes and flies. Bury small pets deep in the garden, or ask your vet or council.
Worms and minibeasts Welcome
Brandling worms, woodlice, slaters and beetles are the workers in your bin. If you find worms in the garden, pop a few in.
Ants in compost Easy fix
Ants usually mean the bin is too dry. Add wet peelings, grass or a splash of water. Tipping the small bin into the big one also moves them on.
Urine Diluted, a little
Believe it or not, yes. Garden Organic suggests diluting it about 20 parts water to 1. It gives a slow bin a boost.
Human waste and nappies Keep out
Keep out. Human waste carries diseases, and disposable nappies, including eco ones, contain plastics and gels. Use general waste.
Around the house
Natural fabrics Pure cotton, wool or linen
Yes, if 100 percent cotton, wool, linen or hemp, cut into small pieces. Remove buttons, zips and polyester thread. Leave out blends with polyester, nylon or elastane.
Viscose and bamboo fabrics Pure fabric only
Viscose, rayon, modal, lyocell (Tencel) and bamboo fabric are made from wood pulp, so pure versions will slowly break down if cut small. Most are blended with polyester or elastane, so check the label first.
Synthetic fabrics Keep out
Keep out. Polyester, nylon, acrylic, fleece and elastane are plastics and won't break down. Donate or use textile recycling banks.
String and twine Natural fibre only
Jute, sisal, hemp and cotton string are fine. Green garden twine is often plastic, so check. Nylon string and raffia stay out unless they are natural raffia.
Leather Keep out
Keep out. Leather is treated with tanning chemicals and breaks down very slowly.
Vacuum cleaner dust Usually not
Best left out. Modern carpets and dust are mostly synthetic fibres, grit and bits of plastic. Only dust from wool or natural carpets is worth adding.
Tumble dryer lint Usually not
Best left out. Most lint is synthetic fibre from mixed loads. Lint from 100 percent cotton or wool loads is fine.
Natural corks Yes, but slow
Real cork is fine but very slow, so chop or grate it. Plastic corks stay out. Many shops collect corks for recycling.
Plastic corks and screw caps Keep out
Keep out. Plastic stoppers and metal screw caps won't break down. Recycle them.
Matches and lolly sticks Yes please
Yes, used wooden matches, lolly sticks and wooden coffee stirrers are fine. They are slow, so snap them.
Bamboo toothbrushes Handle only
The bamboo handle can go in, snapped up, but pull out the bristles first. They are nylon.
Bamboo and wooden kitchenware Yes, but slow
Plain bamboo or wooden utensils will break down slowly if snapped up. Varnished or melamine bamboo stays out.
Candles and wax Keep out
Keep out. Paraffin wax is made from oil and won't break down. Pure beeswax is natural but slow, so it's better reused.
Ash from cigarettes and tobacco Keep out
Keep out. Cigarette ends contain plastic filters and toxins. Tobacco can carry a virus that harms tomatoes and peppers.
Medicines and vitamins Keep out
Keep out. Take unused medicines back to a pharmacy.
Chemicals and cleaners Keep out
Keep out. Bleach, cleaning products, paint, white spirit and garden chemicals kill the life in your compost and can harm plants. Ask your council how to dispose of them.
Soap nuts Yes please
Yes, used soap nuts break down fine.
Loofahs, natural sponges and sponge cloths Yes, but slow
Yes, natural loofahs, sea sponges and cellulose sponge cloths (often sold as Swedish dishcloths) compost slowly if cut up. Most yellow and green kitchen sponges are plastic, so keep those out.
Brushes and combs Natural parts only
Wooden handles and natural bristles like coconut fibre or sisal break down slowly if snapped up. Pull out any metal or nylon parts first. Plastic brushes and combs stay out.
Kitchen sponges and scourers Keep out
Keep out. Most sponges and scourers are plastic foam or nylon.
Dryer sheets Keep out
Keep out. Most are polyester coated with fabric softener chemicals.
Chewing gum Keep out
Keep out. Gum is made from synthetic rubber and won't break down.
Wine sediment and fruit pulp from home brewing Yes please
Yes, fruit pulp and yeast sediment from home wine making are fine in small amounts, mixed with card.
Packaging and plastics
Plastic Keep out
Keep out. Plastic never breaks down into compost. It just breaks into smaller pieces. Recycle it if your council takes it.
Polystyrene Keep out
Keep out. Polystyrene breaks into tiny plastic beads and never composts. Most councils don't recycle it, so it goes in general waste.
Starch packing peanuts Yes please
Yes, packing chips made from starch melt away in water and compost fine. Test one under a tap first. If it doesn't dissolve, it's polystyrene.
Compostable packaging and bags Only if home compostable
Only if it's certified home compostable (look for OK compost HOME or a seedling logo saying home). Packaging that just says compostable usually needs an industrial site that runs much hotter than a home bin, so put it in your council food caddy if they accept it.
Biodegradable plastic Keep out
Keep out. Biodegradable or degradable plastic often just breaks into tiny pieces. It is not the same as compostable.
Building materials Keep out
Keep out. Plasterboard, plaster, insulation, lino, tiles and other building waste don't break down and some contain chemicals. Take them to your household waste recycling centre.
Glass Keep out
Keep out. Recycle glass bottles and jars.
Metal and foil Keep out
Keep out. Recycle tins, cans and clean foil.
Electricals and batteries Keep out
Keep out. Take batteries and electricals to a recycling point. Many supermarkets collect batteries.
Crisp packets and foil-lined wrappers Keep out
Keep out. They are layers of plastic and foil. Some supermarkets and schemes collect them.
Fruit stickers Peel them off
Peel the little stickers off first. They are plastic and survive composting. The fruit or peel underneath is fine.
Plastic plant pots and seed trays Keep out
Keep out. Reuse them, or many garden centres take them back.
Fibre and coir pots Yes, torn up
Yes, pots made from coir, wood fibre, paper or card break down well. Tear them up first. Peat pots are fine too, but peat-free is kinder to bogs.
Fabric plant bags and fleece Keep out
Keep out. Horticultural fleece, weed membrane and grow bags are plastic. Hessian and jute sacks can go in, cut up.
Plastic-free sticky tape Check first
Paper tape with a natural rubber or starch glue can go in. Most brown parcel tape is plastic, so pull it off boxes first.
Wood pellets Untreated only
Untreated wood pellets, including unused pellet cat litter and pellet bedding from vegetarian pets, are fine a handful at a time. Used cat litter stays out.
Wicker, willow and rattan Untreated, cut small
Natural, unvarnished wicker, willow and rattan break down very slowly if cut up small. Varnished or plastic wicker stays out.
Reptile bedding and shed skin Shed skin only
Shed snake and lizard skin is fine. Bedding with reptile droppings is best kept out, as reptiles often carry salmonella.
Playdough Keep out
Keep out. Playdough is very salty, which harms the worms in your bin. Put it in general waste.
Pencils and pencil shavings Shavings yes
Pencil shavings are fine in small amounts. Whole pencils are slow and often painted, so keep them out.
Toiletries and cosmetics Keep out
Keep out. Deodorants, creams, make-up and hair products contain chemicals and oils you don't want in your soil. Recycle the containers where you can.
Ramen, noodles and miso Keep out
Keep out. Noodles, miso and instant meals are salty, cooked or oily and draw rats. Use your council food caddy.
Garden feeds and fertilisers Not needed
You don't need to add fertiliser to compost. A sprinkle of organic feed, like chicken manure pellets, seaweed or blood, fish and bone, won't hurt. Keep out slug pellets, weed and feed, and chemical sprays.
Perlite, vermiculite and grit Harmless in small amounts
They won't break down, but small amounts mixed in old potting compost do no harm and help drainage when you use the compost.
Pond and gutter sludge Small amounts
Pond sludge and gutter muck are mostly rotted leaves and are fine in small amounts. Let it drain first, and leave out anything from roofs treated with moss killer.
Hot composting Good to know
Twin Tip is a cool, no-turn system, so it won't get hot enough to kill weed seeds, roots or plant diseases. That is why those stay out. Hot bins need large amounts added at once and insulation to stay hot.
Things people ask about
Greens and browns Mix them
Green means soft, wet things like peelings, grass and coffee. Brown means dry, crunchy things like card, paper and leaves. Aim for roughly as much of each and the bin stays happy.
Compost accelerators Not needed
You don't need to buy one. A few handfuls of garden soil, finished compost, nettles or comfrey leaves do the same job for free.
Bokashi Yes, once fermented
Fermented bokashi waste can go in, buried in the middle and mixed with card. It includes cooked food, so a sealed bin like Twin Tip helps keep pests out.
Garden lime Not needed
Don't add garden lime to your compost. It isn't needed and can harm the worms. The fruit is covered under citrus.
Fruit flies Easy fix
Cover fresh fruit and veg scraps with a few leaves, grass or torn card, and keep the lid on. They usually vanish within a week.
Smelly compost Easy fix
A smell usually means too much wet stuff and not enough air. Mix in torn card, scrunched paper or twigs. With Twin Tip, tipping the small bin into the big one airs it too.
Dry compost Easy fix
If it is dry and dusty, nothing much happens. Add wet peelings, grass or a splash of rain water, so it feels like a wrung-out sponge.
How long compost takes Rule of thumb
With Twin Tip, aim to fill both bins by the end of September and check in March or April. In general, garden compost takes from several months to a couple of years, depending on the season and what goes in.
Rats in compost How to keep them out
Keep cooked food, meat, dairy, bread and bird seed out, and use a bin with a solid base, a clip-down lid and no gaps bigger than 6 mm. That's how Twin Tip is built.
Want this on your fridge?
The free compost fridge sheet is a one-page printable of the most common items. Or try the quick checker, which understands things like "cooked carrots" and "plastic-lined cups".
Short on space or worried about rats? See how Twin Tip turns two dustbins into a rodent-resistant, no-turn compost bin, or get the build plans on Etsy for £5.99.
Written by Matt Vass, a Salisbury allotment holder with about 16 years of gardening behind him and three years of testing the Twin Tip method. More about Matt.
Answers are based on advice from the Royal Horticultural Society and Garden Organic, plus what has worked in our own bins. Council rules on food caddies and garden waste vary, so check your local council's website too.
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