City of St. Louis Department of Streets Refuse Division Recycling Program

About Compost

What is Compost?

Compost, also called humus, is a dark, crumbly, brown or black, earthy-smelling form of decomposing organic matter. In a few weeks to a few months, once-living materials that are put in a bin or pile, and get adequate air and moisture, will transform into nutrient-rich soil.

Why Should I Make Compost?

Composting is a practical and convenient way to recycle yard debris, such as leaves, twigs, grass clippings, most weeds, and dead houseplants into a valuable resource. If you have a garden, a lawn, trees, shrubs or even planter boxes, you have a use for compost. When used as mulch, this free soil additive promotes weed and erosion control, protects plant roots from sun and wind damage, conserves water, and reduces soil diseases. When absorbed into loose or sandy soils, it increases water retention; it also aids drainage in clay or other heavy soils.

What Can I Compost?

Yard debris, such as leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and the remains of garden plants make excellent compost. Chipped wood scraps can also be composted or mulched. Vegetable scraps are compostable, but food scraps such as meat scraps, bones, fatty foods, and dairy products should not be composted due to the potential for bacterial growth.

How Can I Use Compost?

Compost can be used to enrich the flower and vegetable garden, to improve the soil around trees and shrubs, as a soil amendment for house plants and planter boxes, and when screened, as part of a seed-starting mix or lawn top-dressing. Compost acts as a natural fertilizer by returning nutrients, such as phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, and many trace minerals, to the soil. These nutrients are all to be released slowly over 1-2 years for optimal plant growth and health.

Annually, the City of St. Louis generates approximately 20,000 tons of yard waste, which is composted for use as an alternative soil. The State of Missouri and the State of Illinois passed laws prohibiting yard waste from being disposed of in the landfill, in an effort to conserve landfill space. Yard debris is a highly valuable material that can easily be converted into a product useful for improving your garden, landscaping, and lawn. By mulching and composting yard debris at home, you can save money spent on mulches, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and soil amendments. Mulching and composting at home also reduces the amount of time you spend watering because they preserve the moisture content in your lawn or garden.

List of Publications

Below is a list of free publications available on the subject of home mulching and composting, as well as instructions on how to build your own compost bins. Send an email to recycle@stlouis.missouri.org or call (314) 353-8877 if you’d like these publications to be mailed to your home.

City of St. Louis Collection Program

For those residents who don't have the physical ability, space, or use for mulching or composting their yard waste, the City of St. Louis operates a separate weekly collection service for yard waste during the spring, summer, and fall. Residents with alley dumpsters should place yard waste in separate dumpsters marked "Yard Waste Only." Residents with smaller roll-out carts receive a separate collection for yard waste on Wednesday of each week. Residents may bundle limbs in six foot lengths and place them out for the monthly bulk pick up. The Refuse Division will also accept one pick-up truck load of yard waste each month from residents at either the north or south transfer station (with proof of residency). Visit the Refuse Division's Yard Waste page or call 353-8877 for more information.

Free Compost Pick-up Locations

Companies That Accept Drop-Off of Organic Waste (From Residents or Businesses)

Organic Resource Management, Inc.
Location: Fort Bellefontaine Compost Center, 13060 County Park Road, Florissant, Missouri 63034
Hours: 730am-430pm Monday-Saturday.
Fee: $8.00 per cubic yard.
Materials Accepted: yard waste only (e.g., leaves, grass, tree trimmings, etc.).
Phone: 314.355.0052
Website: http://www.ormiorganics.com

St. Louis Composting, Inc.
Fee: Yes.
Materials Accepted: Clean vegetative yard waste only.
Website: http://www.stlcompost.com

Outdoor composters, kitchen compost storage containers, books, red worms

Biodegradable Products

BioBag
Web Site http://www.biobagusa.com
E-Mail info@biobagusa.com
Fax 208.694.9019
Phone 800.959.2247 or 727.789.1646
Post Office Box 369, Palm Harbor, Florida 34682-0369

Biocorp, Inc.
Web Site www.biocorpaavc.com
Phone 866.348.8348
15301 140th Avenue SE, Becker, Minnesota 55308

BiodegradableStore.com
Web Site http://biodegradablestore.com
Phone 303.449.1876
Boulder, Colorado

Ecowareonline
Web Site http://www.ecowareonline.com
E-Mail info@stonertech.com

Green Earth Office Supply
Web Site http://greenearthofficesupply.stores.yahoo.net/kitsup.html
E-Mail info@greenearthofficesupply.com
Fax 408.395.3965
Phone 800.327.8449 or 408.353.2096
Post Office Box 719, Redwood Estates, California 95044

Green Home
Web Site http://www.greenhome.com/products/institutional_sales/food_service
E-Mail help@greenhome.com
Fax 415.752.6389
Phone 877.282.6400
850 24th Avenue, San Francisco, California 94121

Packaging Supersource
Web Site http://www.usbox.com/green
E-Mail sales@usbox.com
Fax 973.481.2002
Phone 800.221.0999 or 973.481.2000
U.S. Box Corporation, 1296 McCarter Highway, Newark, New Jersey 07104

World Centric
Web Site http://www.worldcentric.org/store
E-Mail store@worldcentric.org
Fax 866.850.9732
Phone 650.283.3797
2211 Williams Street, Palo Alto, California 94306

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