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Composting

ABOUT

Considering that one third of household waste is organic, composting makes sense in terms of waste reduction as it diverts significant amounts of trash from landfill. Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the United States. By composting food scraps and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced and instead become a plant food.

Landfill is not a big compost pile. The landfill does not receive the proper balance of moisture, nutrients, and temperature to biodegrade organic matter. No one chops garbage in a landfill or stirs it, and no one adds fluids or oxygen- it is stable. These are not rare cases in landfills: Newspapers are still readable after almost 40 years; ten-year-old carrots are brown on the outside but bright orange on the inside; and 20-year-old steaks still have meat on the bones.

We decided to step up and offer a responsible solution for food waste as an alternative to current linear processes that permanently remove precious resources from the environment. We are thrilled to practise a circular economy where we recapture “waste” as a resource to make plant food to improve soil health.

OUR MANTRAS

Composting seems to harmonize our being here with the way the world should be.

Composting is about so much more than reducing waste. It is becoming more and more aware of ourselves, too - more conscious of each other and of entire natural and cultural milieu in which we live. ~ Stu Campbell, Let it Rot

Making compost enriches our lives almost as much as it does our plants and gardens.

Organic materials should be recycled into the soil instead of being discarded in a garbage can (the capacity of landfills is FINITE).

By recycling organic waste, such as food scraps etc, you don’t just divert tons of solid waste from landfill but you also keep valuable nutrients for the soil in the circle of our community.

“ HEY WILLIAMSBURG, LET'S COMPOST! ”

OUR COMPOSTING SERVICES

Residential

Sign up here for our Doorstep Compost Pick-Up Service.

Commercial

Do you own a business whose values align with ours? We can help you to establish composting practice! Please send us an email to jana@fillhappy-va.com with basic information and we will provide a price quote.

Events

Organizing a one-time event that you need a composting service for? Contact us for price quote.

“ Closing The Loop on Food Waste ”

FAQ

The safest place is your doorstep. Please avoid setting your bucket for us at curbside as other waste management providers can get confused and collect your bucket.

Tea bags are tricky because if they don't specifically say "COMPOSTABLE", we need to check with the company as many tea companies are committed to switching to compostable materials. Lipton tea bags ARE compostable. The string is cotton and can be composted as well. If there is a metal staple, that should be taken out. Lipton tea bags are made of unbleached hemp and they use PLA to seal. PLA is a plant-based biodegradable polymer. The pyramid shaped bags are not compostable. Those contain plastic.

Anything cardboard/paper/kraft paper etc can be included - mushrooms containers for sure, egg cartons, paper towels/rolls, soaked paper bags etc. You don't have to worry if it's bleached or not, we take both.

Absolutely, loofah sponges are compostable.

We are licensed + insured for this service and follow laws that require composting service to be provided on a weekly basis. Weekly service helps us offer you a service that is as clean and as convenient as possible for you.

We are offering doorstep pick-ups only at this time. We might offer compost drop offs in the future.

Yes, we are connected with local organizations that practice regenerative farming methods. If you have a specific organization in mind, let us know, and we will deliver there as long as it’s located in our city.

Please text or email us as soon as you notice. If we can come back, we will.

If you let us know one day before the collection day, we will postpone your payment date accordingly

Yes, absolutely. Email us with your plans and we will adjust membership accordingly.

We can’t take anything that is outside the green bin except for pizza boxes. You can leave pizza boxes on top or under your green bin. You don’t need to tear them. We offer 2bins service if you have extra compostables on a regular basis.

Send us an email and we will send you a link to update your card.

We distribute finished compost for free in January and July (minimum of 3 months membership required).

We practice circular economy as much as we can. Once you empty the bags, please put them on top of your bin for us to collect and refill them over and over.

Our 4-gallons square bucket usually fits under the kitchen sink. Others like to keep it in the garage or outside. We recommend using a small countertop compost bin for easy access during the day. Check these out for a sleek looking plastic-free countertop bin.

We deliver your empty bucket the same day if your order is placed before 5pm. We will then retrieve it weekly on a scheduled pick-up day.

We will collect the green bucket during the last collection. In case the bucket is not returned to us, $20 fee will be charged.

Our service area is Greater Williamsburg - within 12 miles radius from Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg, James City County, Toano, Norge, some of York County). If you are in Gloucester or Newport News, please contact us to join our wait list.

We are distributing finished compost in January and July to your doorstep. It’s 8 gallons of finished compost each time. If you are interested in purchasing more, feel free to purchase here for free delivery in our service area. It's also available in our store located at 5251 John Tyler Hwy Unit 52, Williamsburg, VA, 23185. Please note that this product cannot be shipped.

McGill Soil Builder

This STA-certified 100% premium compost is produced locally and is ideal for use as a topdressing, soil amendment, or mix ingredient. It's great for lawns, trees & shrubs, flowers & vegetables, for planting beds/containers and much more. Please note that this compost is a concentrated soil amendment, so it's best to follow application instructions for best results.

Benefits of using compost include:

  • Adding nutrients to the soil with slow release of nutrients
  • Disease suppression
  • Improving drainage
  • Improving growing conditions by boosting the water-holding capacity of your soil and keeping more moisture at the root zone
  • Healthier soil structure and increased organic matter content providing beneficial microbes for key soil processes

Instructions

BASIC METHOD

Use 1/4 to 1/2 inch of compost if applying to the top of the soil

Add 1 to 2 inches for every 6-8 inches of soil depth if working into the soil

Maintain a maximum of 30% compost in a soil blend, and no more than 25% in containers or raised beds

FRUIT, VEGETABLES, ORNAMENTALS

Blend up to 25% of SoilBuilder with 75% or more of native soils for raised beds

Use 1 to 2 inches of SoilBuilder in native soil beds and incorporate to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, plant and water

Condition soil beds this way every other year

TREES AND SHRUBS

Dig a hole the same depth as the root ball and two to three times as wide

Mix up to 25% of SoilBuilder with 75% of soil saved from the planting hole

Place the plant in the planting hole and apply amended soil around the root ball

Firm the soil as the hole is backfilled and water thoroughly

NEW TURF AREAS

Apply 1 to 2 inches of SoilBuilder to existing soil and incorporate to a depth of 6 to 8 inches

Apply seed or install sod, rake and water

IMPACT

In 2022, Fill Happy diverted 5,100 pounds of food scraps & organic material from
landfills. Through your efforts, the estimated emissions saved are equal to:

3,424

net pounds of CO2
saved

3,903

miles driven by an
average vehicle

153

gallons of gasoline
consumed

“Our relationship with nature is unbalanced. Humans are continuously taking and discarding, and nature is continuously
giving. Instead, we need to apply circular thinking in which life is sustained and things are continuously repurposed.”

Doreen Robinson - UNEP Wildlife Chief

WE CAN ACCEPT ANYTHING THAT
EVER GREW OR LIVED :

  • Flowers/Plants Trimmings
  • Coffee grounds and filters
  • Pan scrapings + leftovers
  • Nut shells
  • Diary, Egg shells
  • Fill Happy compostable brushes
  • Loose tea, certified compostable tea bags
  • Outdated and reject vegetables + fruits and bread
  • Pizza boxes (or other soaked cardboard pieces)
  • Toilet paper rolls, shredded paper
  • 100% cotton fabric scraps
  • Paper napkins
  • BPI Certified compostable plastic products
  • Paper plates + cups (without plastic coating)
  • Meat and bones (cooked and uncooked)

WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE
FOLLOWING :

  • Produce stickers
  • Liquids and chemicals
  • Synthetic inorganic materials
  • Rubber gloves and protective wear
  • Glass
  • Metal
  • Styrofoam
  • Plastic bags, wrap of film
  • Plastic bottles
  • Plastic cups
  • Plastic plates or utensils
  • Plastic straws
  • Condiment packets
  • Coffee creamer packets
  • Cup lids
  • Diapers
  • Human waste, pet waste and litter
  • Dryer lint