Different composting facilities and methods allow for different sorts of inputs (or choose to ignore a certain level of contamination). Sometimes commercial manufacturing or distribution processes change and affect what is suitable to compost. These lists covers common household inputs for medium-scale community composting in Melbourne as at 2022.

Greens – (Nitrogen-rich “wet” materials):
Coffee grounds
Tea leaves
Paper teabags
– many teabag brands contain nylon, check which ones here:
[link]
Fruit & vegetables
– chop up whole veggies into chunks
– remove all stickers, rubber bands and twist-ties
Onions, Garlic, Ginger, Chilli
Citrus fruit
Eggshells (crushed)
Bokashi bin contents (drained)
Lawn clippings (fresh)
Garden clippings
– freshly pulled weeds
– trimmed leaves
Comfrey leaves
Lawn clippings (fresh)
Guinea Pig & Rabbit droppings
“Home Compostable” plastic bags
– must be certified either or
– better to reuse a container if you can
All items should be chopped up into small pieces so they will break down properly
Browns – (Carbon-rich “dry” materials):
Dry Autumn leaves
Straw & plant stems
Lawn clippings (dried)
Sawdust & woodchips (untreated)
Egg Cartons
Plain brown paper
Plain brown cardboard
– remove all tape and sticker labels first
Black & white printed newspaper
Shredded office paper
– must be matte
– no colour inks
Coffee chaff
– from a coffee roaster
All items should be ripped up into small pieces so they allow air and moisture into the compost
CAUTION! Do not add:Why not?
Bread, pasta, or cereals
Dog or cat droppings
Human poo or nappies
Cooking oils and fats
Meat and meat products
Dairy products
Glossy, metallic or coloured papers
Magazines and coloured printing
Fruit stickers, labels and plastic ties
Teabags with synthetic materials
Plastic wrappers or packaging
Fallen leaves from road or traffic surfaces
“Compostable” & “Biodegradable” plastics
Treated or sealed timber products
Leftover prescription drugs or medications
Large bones or seafood shells

If you are not sure about something, please feel free to get in touch and ask us.