A lot of people fill their trash cans with items that they can very easily use as compost, which fills up waste disposal trucks and landfills. Here are some surprising things you can keep out of your waste disposal bin and put into your compost heap instead.

Food Items

Here are some of the food and food-adjacent items you can compost.

• Coffee Filters & Grounds
• Cooked pasta (plain)
• Cooked rice (plain)
• Crumbs you’ve swept off the floor or counter
• Ice cream that’s melted
• Moldy cheese
• Nut shells, with the exception of walnut shells since they’re toxic to some plants
• Old jam, jelly, or preserves
• Old spices and herbs
• Pizza crusts
• Stale beer & wine
• Stale bread, cereal, crackers, and pretzels
• Tea bags

Containers and Other Items

These are some of the containers that you can compost.

• Cereal boxes torn into little pieces
• Egg cartons (paper)
• Paper bags balled or ripped up
• Paper muffin or cupcake liners
• Paper napkins (used)
• Paper plates (used without waxy coating)
• Pizza boxes you have torn up into little pieces
• Rolls from paper towels & toilet paper

Miscellaneous Items

These can be composted but don’t fit in other categories.

• Bamboo skewers
• Hair removed from a brush
• Nail clippings
• Old loofahs
• Toothpicks
• Wine corks

You may have been surprised at some of the things that you can put in your compost pile. So, put this list on your refrigerator. The next time you are gathering up your trash, consult the list. You may find your waste disposal can is a bit lighter. It also will help your garden and make a big difference in how quickly the landfills fill up.