Get Started With School Composting

Most schools create a lot of waste every day: lunch leftovers, snack wrappers, paper towels, crafting supplies, and yard waste from the playground, just to name a few. Much of this ends up in the trash, but a good portion could actually be turned into compost. That’s why we wholeheartedly supported our teens when they decided to create a school-wide composting program through their student council. What better way to reduce impact while increasing learning?

Benefits of school composting

Composting is a simple way to shrink waste while reducing the harmful greenhouse gases produced in rotting landfills. In composting, food scraps and other organic materials break down into rich soil. Schools can use that soil in teaching gardens, planter boxes or even around trees on school grounds.

According to Cornell University, organic materials comprise over 60% of an average school’s waste.

But composting is more than a waste solution: it’s a hands-on learning tool. Schools that compost offer their students a chance to see the complete life cycle of food, from plate to compost pile and back again. Science, sustainability and responsibility: that’s the importance of school composting.

Photo by Seth Cottle on Unsplash.

Planning your school composting program

The first step to starting a composting program at your school is planning the who, what, why and how of your system. As anyone associated with a school will know, the last thing teachers and students need is extra work. Keeping things simple and considering these areas in advance will help tailor results to your school’s needs.

Consider the following factors when you’re getting started.

Goals

Knowing your why is key, because the answer to this question will drive your program’s design and operation over the long term. Maybe you want to reduce cafeteria waste, create compost for a school garden, or turn it into a hands-on science project. Rank the goals for your program by importance and keep this in mind as you move through next steps.

Teamwork

We’ve been helping schools set up composting systems for decades, and one of the most important lessons we’ve learned is the value of teamwork. A small group of dedicated staff and students can manage collection, sorting and maintenance. Rotating responsibilities through classrooms or student clubs keeps everyone involved and spreads out the work. At most schools, teachers, custodial staff and students all play a role. Identify your team early in the process and keep everyone involved along the way.

Location

Decide where collection bins will go, how often they’ll be emptied, and how materials will be layered. Simple signage—like “greens vs. browns”—can make it easy for students and staff to follow the rules, but if bins are easily accessible and located close to source material, there’s more chance of success. We discuss this in more detail below.

Composting bin type

Outdoor bins are simple and cost-effective, tumblers speed up decomposition and stay tidy, and worm bins are perfect for classrooms or smaller spaces. Consider the size of your school, the space you have available, and how much waste you expect to generate. Read on for more details about this important part of your system.

Related: How to Start a School Garden – Your Complete Guide

Photo by Frank Thiemonge on Unsplash.

Choosing the right compost system for your school

Not all compost systems are the same, and the best one for your school depends on your space, budget and goals noted above. When choosing a system, think about how much waste your school produces, how visible you want the compost to be, and who will manage it. Starting with one system and expanding later is often the easiest way to get everyone on board. Here are the main options:

Outdoor bins

Simple, low-cost, and easy to maintain, outdoor bins are great for large amounts of cafeteria scraps and yard waste. For larger schools, use multiple bins lined up in one location. The AeroPlus 3-Stage Compost Bin offers 21 cubic feet of composting space and an integrated turning mechanism to speed up decomposition.

Tumblers

Compost tumblers are enclosed containers that can be turned easily to speed up decomposition. Tumblers tend to stay tidy and are less likely to attract pests given their full containment. At 14 cubic feet, the Jora JK 400 is a great fit for schools.

Worm bins (vermicomposting)

Perfect for classrooms or smaller-scale programs, worm bins can be located inside or out, depending on the system and your local climate. In most cases, vermicomposts function using red worms that eat food scraps and produce compost in a compact system. For a larger scale worm composting system, we recommend the VermiFlow.

VermiFlow worm composter, available from Eartheasy.

We recommend weighing and sorting your school’s waste over a week or two before deciding on the size of your bin(s). This activity can help you determine approximately how much organic waste goes into your waste stream. Larger bins like those listed above are well suited for schools and work well in modular set-ups, meaning you can add more over time as needed.

Setting up the compost system

As noted above, location matters. Choose a spot that’s easily accessible, safe and not too far from where students and staff generate food scraps. Outdoor bins, as discussed above, do best in a shaded or partially sunny area with good drainage, while worm bins can stay in classrooms, a sheltered hallway or outdoors if temperatures permit. Composting worms can survive temperatures as low as 32 F (0 C), but will stop working at temperatures below 50 F (10 C).

Decide what to compost

Most fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, shredded paper and yard waste are perfect for large-scale composting. Avoid meat, dairy, oily foods, and anything that might attract pests, unless your system is specifically designed to decompose these materials. Layering “greens” (food scraps) and “browns” (dry leaves, paper, cardboard) helps the compost break down faster.

Collecting and managing waste

Once you have your system design, the next step is figuring out how to get the scraps there efficiently. Start by placing small collection bins in the cafeteria or other areas where food is eaten. Make it easy for students and staff to separate compostable scraps from trash. Color-coded bins or simple labels—like “Compost” and “Garbage”—work really well.

Some schools also place collection bins in each classroom. Five-gallon buckets work well for this purpose. Locate them next to the garbage, with clear labels so everyone is familiar with their purpose.

No matter how you set up your system, student involvement is key. A “green team” or rotating classroom responsibilities can help with emptying the collection bins, layering greens and browns, and keeping an eye on moisture levels. Regular attention prevents odors, keeps pests away, and ensures the compost breaks down efficiently. Encourage students to check the pile, note any problems, and even experiment with what decomposes fastest—learning happens naturally this way.

Using the finished compost

After a few months, depending on your system, you’ll have compost ready to use. This black gold is perfect for school gardens, raised beds, potted plants or landscaping projects. You can also donate extra compost to local community gardens, use it to enrich soil around trees on campus, or sell bagged and finished compost as a fundraiser.

We recommend showing students the results of their efforts. Watching food scraps transform into healthy soil completes the learning cycle and reinforces the value of composting. Incorporate into lessons about plant growth, soil science or sustainability projects as needed by teachers. Celebrating the harvest keeps everyone motivated and proud of their contributions.

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash.

Tips for success

Given the collective nature of school composting, it’s important to keep your goals visible and celebrate milestones to help keep everyone informed. Some schools track the amount of waste diverted, showcasing how the compost is being used in the garden and sharing successes with the whole school. This helps everyone see the ongoing benefits of the project.

Here are a few other tips to help ensure you create a program that lasts:

• Start small: Don’t try to do everything at once. Begin with one bin or one classroom, then expand.
• Keep it simple: Clear labels, easy routines, and a few rules about what can go in the compost prevent confusion and frustration.
• Get everyone involved: Teachers, custodial staff, and students all have a role to play. Rotating tasks keeps it fair and fun.
• Track progress: Weigh scraps collected, measure compost produced, or chart the garden’s growth. Seeing results motivates everyone.
• Make it fun: Turn it into a science experiment, a classroom challenge, or a gardening project. Celebrate milestones—every cup of compost counts!

Resources

If you’re looking for composting resources by state, check out this state-by-state list of links compiled by the US Composting Council.

Here are some others worth exploring:

• NH Farm to School offers an in-depth printable compost guide that addresses the logistics of school composting, including waste collection, bin management, and educational activities.
• The Green Schools Alliance provides strategies, systems and cost estimates for implementing on-site composting systems in schools. Visit their resource list for everything from printable signs to free images for project promotion.
• Food Waste Warriors, a program by the World Wildlife Fund for K-12 schools, provides grants, toolkits and lesson plans to empower teachers and administrators in engaging students to take action on food waste.
• Eartheasy’s definitive guide to using compost tumblers will help your school achieve success with this fast method of composting food and other waste.
• This all purpose composting guide provides everything you need to know to start composting.
• This printable pack for educators supports classroom composting projects with easy-to-use tracking sheets, activities, and more. A second composting resource for younger kids is available thanks to Stuff4Tots.

Putting it all together

Composting at school is a simple way to reduce waste, create healthy soil and give students a hands-on lesson in sustainability. We’re pleased that our local school’s program is still going strong, and each new iteration of the student council makes it a priority. With a little planning, teamwork, and care, even a small program can make a big impact—both in the garden and in students’ understanding of the environment.