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Soil, Compost & Mulch

experience with UCT and food with some grease?

17 years ago

I am aware that the composting advice generally is NOT to use foods with grease (fat, butter, oils) in compost tumblers, but . . .

My church is considering composting used paper plates with their food remainder contents directly in an Urban Compost Tumbler. I have used an UCT at home, where I avoid including food with butter, cheese, oils or other fats. From a church dinner, there would be the occasional bit of meat or cheese as well as bits of pastry or cake with butter. The "plan" is to fill at once with the paper plates and clinging bits, along with coffee grounds and "correct" to balance with shredded paper or more coffee grounds.

My question: if anyone has actually had experience doing this, please advise me.

Thanks.

Comments (5)

bob64
17 years ago
Don't have much experience with this but I would appreciate you letting us know how this works out for you if you end up doing it. Literature and various gardenweb posts have gone both ways on your question.
squeeze
17 years ago
minor amounts of fats won't be a problem, as the primary caution concerning them has to do with attracting rodents and pets, which shouldn't be a problem with an enclosed tumbler - I'd reconsider adding shredded paper if there's going to be piles of paper plates!

Bill
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pablo_nh
17 years ago
I've composted deer carcases, whole 20# frozen turkeys, BBQ bones, cheese, bacon grease...

As long as the pile is hot, bury stuff deep, and you cover it with browns, no problem.
ladygoat
17 years ago
I've never used a UCT, but I compost greasy pizza boxes all the time, and they compost really quickly, with no problems.
Kimmsr
17 years ago
You will need to pay much closer attention to the C:N ratio and the moisture level at the church than you would at home because that much from the kitchen will be really moist and pretty high on Carbon.
I have been trying to do the same thing but most of the people involved (we have a community breakfast every Saturday morning) are not willing to spend the time necessary to make this work and the inspectors from the County Health Department are not willing to see if this will work, they want the "garbage" gone in a flash so it won't attract vermine. The only thing their schooling has taught them is that recycling will attract unwanted species of animals.

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