Composting

County Compost Facility Exploration

A cross-departmental county team, led by the Public Works Department, explored the possibility of building and operating for a compost facility within Boulder County. Learn more about the project.

Changes to Composting Guidelines

As of April 1, 2023, only food scraps and yard and plant trimmings are accepted for composting by the region’s compost processor. The green, compostable waste bags are accepted if they are 3-gallons or smaller. The compost processor made the change in order to try and eliminate micro- and macro-plastics from the final compost product. Got a question? Check out the Compost Changes FAQ webpage to help find your answer.

Decentralized Composting

In 2025, a 20-foot in-vessel composter was installed at the Nederland Transfer Station to process food scraps and wood chips into finished compost. Learn more about this effort and the successes it has seen.

Compost Video Library

• Learn about composting options.
• General tips for composting.
• Important information about compostable products.
• Learn how to start and maintain a backyard compost bin.

Benefits of Composting

Almost 20 percent of the waste stream in Boulder County is plant trimmings and fruit and vegetable scraps that could be recycled as compost. Composting is a natural process of decomposition that creates a high-quality soil amendment and can extend the life of our landfills.

• Nature’s ultimate recycling system where living or once-living materials break down into a rich soil-amendment called compost. Compost is a dark, crumbly, and an earthy-smelling form of decomposed organic matter.
• Natural Process. Collecting organic materials and combining them to encourage their breakdown makes use of the natural process of decomposition to create a high-quality soil amendment.
• Saves Money. Composting can be easier and cheaper than bagging organic wastes and having them removed. Your water bills may drop too, since a soil that’s well-amended with compost holds moisture better and reduces run-off.
• Reduces Waste. Almost 20 percent of the waste stream in Boulder County is plant trimmings and fruit and vegetable scraps that could be recycled as home compost. Recycling organic resources extends the life of our landfills.
• Valuable Soil Amendment. It is more cost-effective to keep materials on site and cycle them back into the yard as a rich soil amendment – compost.
• Healthy Garden. Your garden will benefit as well. As the health of your soil improves so will the health of your plants.