Colorado Compost Guidelines Are Changing

Compost guidelines for the Front Range are changing to food scraps and yard & plant trimmings ONLY! Watch for updated information about what this means for composting on the CU Boulder campus. In the meantime, compostable paper and plastics are not being accepted for composting in campus bins. Food waste composting continues in all CU Dining kitchen operations. Bathroom compost collections may change.

Food Waste

Collected back of the house in campus dining halls

  • ALL food waste is acceptable
  • Meat, bones, and dairy are also acceptable
  • Remove ALL non-compostable packaging (plastic wrap, stickers, bags, etc)

No Compostable Plastics

Due to changing guidelines the following items are not currently being accepted for composting

  • Certified compostable plastics only
  • Look for the following identifiers:
    • BPI Certified
    • #7 PLA on the plastic
    • the word "Compostable"
  • "Biodegradeable" does not mean the same as compostable... make sure its says "compostable"
  • Lids are okay if they say "compostable" or #7 PLA on them
  • Straws may not be marked, but if the both the cup/lid are compostable, the straw usually is too

No Compostable Paper

Due to changing guidelines the following items are not currently being accepted for composting

  • No plastic lined paper
  • Wax coated paper is okay
  • #7 PLA coated paper is okay

No Paper Towels/Napkins/Wood

Due to changing guidelines the following items are not currently being accepted for composting

  • paper towels, napkins, and tissues are great for compost
  • do not put them in the recycling bin... the paper quality is too low to be recycled and there is often food residue on them
  • paper only... no cloth, plastic coated, or other types of rags
  • No painted wood