Backyard composting for a greener Durham: celebrating International Compost Awareness Week

Why compost? 
Backyard composting helps divert organic waste, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and enriches soil health by providing essential nutrients for plants and promoting a thriving ecosystem. By composting food scraps and yard waste, residents can contribute to a more sustainable community while supporting a circular waste system. 

How Durham Region supports backyard composting 
Durham Region encourages residents to contribute to a greener future by composting  food scraps and yard waste materials through backyard composting. These collected items are transformed into nutrient-rich compost, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to waste disposal. To further support this initiative, Durham Region provides educational resources to encourage composting at home and adopt sustainable practices. 

Spring cleaning with sustainability in mind 
Spring is the perfect time to embrace composting habits! Using a backyard composter, households can reduce waste while improving soil quality. Check out the Region of Durham's waste bins web page to learn more about how you can get a backyard composter. Backyard composters are also sold at some garden centres, nurseries and hardware stores throughout Durham Region.  

Learn more about backyard composting and waste reduction 

For composting guidelines, waste diversion tips and other sustainability initiatives, visit Durham Region’s Waste Management web page. Small actions make a big impact—let’s work together to create a cleaner, greener community!