NC State Composts

Over 1.2 million pounds of uneaten food and compostable papers & organics end up in NC State's waste-to-landfill each year, where it rots and produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. By composting this material instead of sending it to the landfill, NC State improves our air quality, soil, food production, and our Wolfpack community.

How to Compost at NC State:

Step 1: Identify Compost

Compost is ALL FOOD...

including MEATS, BONES, & CHEESE.

Compost is COMPOSTABLE PRODUCTS, including

Bamboo plates
BPI-Certified serviceware
Napkins
Paper Towels

Compost is ORGANICS, such as flowers & plant material.

Signs & Labels are posted to help you IDENTIFY compost!

This is NOT compost!

Plastics, recycling, bags, and general trash should NOT be included in compost bins.

They DO NOT break down and will contaminate the SOIL.

NC STATE has a ZERO acceptance rate for contamination.

Contamination, such as plastic wrappers, forks, & recycling, in our compost results in increased risks of microplastics entering our soils, fertilizers, and water systems.

Step 2: Use Compost Bins

Simply place food prep scraps and unused food/compostable items into the GREEN bins and bags.

Compost Success!

Compost uses GREEN carts, bins, barrels, and dumpsters ONLY!

Compost uses GREEN BAGS which are made from CORN and NOT plastic.

Step 3: University Housekeeping Takes Compost Out!

NC State's Waste Reduction & Recycling team then collects all of the compost from campus and take it to the NC State Compost Facility and Research Cooperative located off of Lake Wheeler Road.

The largest university-operated aerated static pile system in the southeast, this compost facility provides a streamlined closed-loop system for NC State University to recover environmental and economic resources.

After several months, this material is broken down into soil amendments, planting soil, topsoil, and other customized blends for NC State's Grounds & Building Services and farms to utilize on campus.

NC State's AgroEcology Farm receives this "new" material to grow produce for University Dining.

NC State's Grounds & Building Services also use it on lawns and playing fields across campus.

Composting at NC State helps grow our food, keep our campus beautiful, and makes the world a better place.

For more information on composting at NC State, please:

Contact Us

Waste Reduction & Recycling | recycling.ncsu.edu | 919.515.9421 | recycling@ncsu.edu

Appreciate