Why Compost?

Composting has many benefits, including improving soils by restoring nutrients, increasing water retention, and decreasing contaminants; and reducing food waste going to landfills or incinerators, thus reducing dangerous emissions from both landfills and incinerators.

Community composting is especially valuable as it restores local soils and creates a culture of awareness in the local community.

In Baltimore, composting specifically helps avoid incineration, and combats food deserts by helping to grow fresh, local produce.


This infographic from ILSR highlights some more benefits of composting:

Compost infographic. Every year in the US, incinerators receive 167 million tons of material. Incineration creates toxic air pollution. Half of this material is compostable. Compost protects watersheds by making high-quality soil which can filter water. Compost protects the climate by sequestering carbon and not releasing methane. Composting creates jobs.
ISLR Compost Infographic