I tried something similar one winter. I based it on the Joe Jenkins Humanure concept. Five gallon pails, add scraps and cover with shredded leaves. Once I had two pails filled (I kept them in the basement) I took them out and dumped into a bin or tumbler. Based on the 'laziness breeds efficiency' theory I stopped. It was easier just to place the scraps in the veranda and let them freeze. I use two-liter milk containers for my scraps. Once I get a half dozen or so, I take them over to a tumbler, cut them open with a knife and chuck the frozen block into a tumbler. Every once in a while, throw a bag of shredded leaves into the tumbler as well. Come spring it all thaws out, heats up and we're off to the races. It didn't make sense to bring shredded leaves into the house, haul the kitchen scraps downstairs, fill up the pails and then haul the pails back up the stairs. I was handling stuff more times than necessary for the little gain I got. Now I wasn't actively composting in the house, that wasn't my intention (I guess I'm not such a 'whacko'). Lloyd

I can't fault people that prefer nice containers in their kitchen, or bags to line them. If it keeps more kitchen scraps out of our landfills, that's a good thing. As I remember the % of food scraps in the landfills is about 30/33% of what in in garbage cans. Here in Portland Oregon we have kitchen scraps included with the yard debris recycling program and the cute pail distributed to all customers has been successful. I also see many do purchase the green liners, and they keep buying them, so if that's what it takes to keep the stuff being easier to get to the proper compost street side roll cart, it's all good. As to how long it takes a green liner to decompose, I'll let you know in the fall. My neighbors carts are next to mine, and with my shortage of greens, and excess browns, I have snatched many of those full little green bags of their kitchen scrapes during the colder months this year. Yes, incurable compost wacko, long term I'm afraid. I just couldn't resist, as my poor cold piles of brown leaves waited for spring. I'd see a little green bag stuffed full of a mix of perfectly chopped vegetable scrapes and coffee grounds, when as if it was an out of body experience, I saw myself walking back to a compost pile, bag in hand. I can't stop. And this spring, I see the big pile is is much better shape than years past. The city's small compost buckets are much better than things I've used before. Professionals thought this out, knowing they needed to increase user compliance. It's the right size to not be too heavy, big enough that it can go a couple days for most people, has a handy flip handle to carry it out ( Wow.. it's great), and the hinge area is designed to fit most hands..which comes into play each time you pull it out to add something to the little bucket. Wish I had figured out this design years ago myself. I'll include a link that has the specifics of what we're doing, and has a picture of the little bucket. Here is a link that might be useful: Making composting easy for the city folks.

A 2 gal stainless steel step on trash can (thrift store $4) lined with plastic bag in inside bucket. Toss a bit of shredded paper or napkins in first to help absorb liquids. When it's full we carry bucket w/ plastic bag out to compost. Bag is rinsed as needed & reused until ripped. If we're canning or generating a lot of waste like melon rinds, we use a simple bucket & it goes out right away. Compost can sits in front of kitchen trash, so it is easier to compost than throw into trash. Works for us even with teens, children, & house guests. Gathering more materials than before because it's so easy. Last compost collector was a $.10 plastic ice bucket w/ lid and handle lined with a sheet of newspaper or junk mail paper. Corrine

That pail is not a composter it is simply a means of collecting material to go into a compost pile. Anytime you leave food waste, especially fruits, uncovered and exposed you will get fruit flies that some people confuse with Fungus Gnats and the best way to deal with those is put the contents of the pail into your compost pile, outside. The availability of a food source, fruits and vegetables, sufficient moisture levels, and enough warmth is all it takes for the fruit fly eggs that are on these products to hatch.