RECYCLING • REGENERATION • RESILIENCY

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.[1]

Door COMMUNITY COMPOST INITIATIVE’s MISSION

To educate our community about the benefits of composting.

To encourage sustainable practices by diverting food scraps and other organic matter from landfills.

To inspire the restoration of Door County soils.

Why Do we comPost?

To divert food scraps and other organic matter from landfills
To reduce our contribution to planet-warming gases (the more carbon that is sequestered, the less methane is emitted from landfills)
To restore and maintain Door County soils

How can We get Started?

Start by putting all your food scraps from breakfast, lunch and dinner in a small bowl on your counter. In the evening, after doing your dishes, empty the bowl in a covered, 5-gallon bucket that you keep outside your back door. After a week or so, when the 5-gallon bucket is filled, you can compost in your backyard… or bring it to one of the food scraps composting sites that are being established in Door County.

More composting tips from “Making a Composting Pile” by Extension Door County

Receive a 5-gallon compost bucket from DCCI with a $25 donation — See contact information below. These clean buckets have twist-off lids for handling ease and for odor / pest mitigation. They are being recycled and re-used (formerly having been used for pickles) to limit our carbon footprint.

Thus far, our “Bucket Brigade” includes 199 buckets that have made their way to friends and neighbors and businesses in our growing network.

Door County Food Scraps Compost Drop oFF Sites

Our community collaboration now includes 12 different sites spread throughout the County.

* * * Please call in advance to confirm local food scrap type and timing requirements * * *

For a PDF version of the DCCI compost network Why/How/What/Where description, to print out and share, please click here.

What is DCCI and How DID WE GET STARTED?

The Door Community Compost Initiative is a project of the Climate Change Coalition of Door County working to further composting in the County. In early 2020, the Village of Egg Harbor expanded its yard waste compost program to include food scraps with the help of the DNR and the Compost University trained Public Works team. The final product, fertile soil, has been incorporated into the Village of Egg Harbor’s landscaping and is available to village residents and businesses.

November 2020, the Climate Change Coalition (CCC) included a Compost Initiative in its 2021 Work Plan.

January 2021, the Door Community Compost Initiative’s official Steering Committee was created.

May 2021, volunteers picked up the first buckets of food scraps from Egg Harbor restaurants.

July 2021, DCCI officially became a partner of the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership under CCC’s wing.

August 2021, DCCI partnered with Mighty Wind Farms to support their composting efforts. Mighty Wind Farms collects food scraps from all neighbors and restaurants.

October 2022, Modeled after compost leader Mighty Wind, DCCI launches our grass-roots, community-based community compost network with our first 7 compost sites open to the public, spanning southern to northern Door, including small farms, private properties, and non-profits, all allowing neighbors and friends to deposit food scraps on their land.

June 2023, DCCI adds its 12th partnering community compost site. With 199 buckets distributed, 199 individuals are now collecting their home food scraps, diverting their food waste from the landfill, and returning that organic material back to compost piles in their yards and at community compost sites.