COMPOSTING - What not to compost

Although in theory anything organic can be composted, some things are best avoided when composting at home.

Cat and dog faeces
Can cause disease

Meat, fish, oil, bones, fat
Can attract rats

Non-organics eg: tin, glass, plastics
Won’t break down

Invasive weeds, eg: kikuyu, wandering willy, jasmine
Could spread in or beyond your garden – however they can be composted after treatment (see page 7 of the Composting guide)

Large amounts of pine needles or gum leaves
Allopathic- create environment hostile to compost creatures

Woody materials in pieces larger than the diameter of your finger
Too slow to break down

Diseased plants (eg, with blight)
Disease may spread

Bamboo, flax and cabbage tree leaves
Not suitable for composting and not taken by composting companies (bury in the ground, or take to a transfer station for landfilling)