How to Compost Meat Waste
Composting instructions offered by extension service horticulturalists and government solid-waste agencies offer a litany of warnings against adding meat to a compost pile. But green-living types look at meat scraps no differently than anything else they want to reuse in a beneficial way. Inveterate tinkerers such as Mary Appelhof, a Michigan biologist and teacher who pioneered indoor worm composting, have bravely experimented with composting meat waste (see References 1). With caution and the patience for trial and error, you can compost meat at home.
Chop the meat scraps and mix the waste, an intensive source of nitrogen for the compost, with copious quantities of a carbon source, such as sawdust (see References 1, page 66). Microorganisms require an optimal ratio of the two organic sources, with carbon at a ratio of about 30:1 to nitrogen, for best results (see References 5).
Bury a small quantity of meat waste in a pocket of bedding deep within a worm bin. Avoid reopening that pocket for as long as possible, recommends Appelhof in "Worms Eat My Garbage." Monitor the bin for signs of increased heat, which indicate the meat added too much nitrogen to the compost to maintain a safe temperature for the worms; the scraps need to be removed. After several months, if the bin avoids overheating, you will find crumbly vermicompost and well-picked bones, indicating that the worms handled the scraps, Appelhof writes. (See References 1, page 65-66)
Hide the meat and sawdust mixture deeply in an outdoor regular compost pile or bury it directly in the garden if you don't have a worm bin or the quantities could overwhelm the bin. Thoroughly covering the waste prevents smells from emanating and attracting vermin. (See References 1, page 66) Toss a handful or two of lime onto the scraps and barricade the compost from animals with chicken wire or fencing; add a tarp to the top (see References 2).
Put the meat scraps in a manufactured compost system with a basket buried in the soil and an exposed top for adding compost materials. There are several such products available at home centers and online. Place pavers or large stones around the base to prevent rodents from trying to get at the basket. Layer sawdust, wood shavings or dried grass on top of the meat waste to prevent odors. (See References 4, page 3)
- Screen your compost when you clean out your worm bin or compost pile. Gather the bones into a net bag and hang them in a garage for six months. Pound the bones with a sledgehammer on concrete and add the powder directly to your garden as an alternative to commercial bone meal. (See References 1, page 67)
- If you have multiple worm bins or compost heaps, place the meat scraps in the one furthest from your residence (see References 1, page 67).
- Proceed cautiously so you can learn for yourself what your composting system can take (see References 1, page 67).
An award-winning writer and editor, Rogue Parrish has worked at the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun and at newspapers from England to Alaska. This world adventurer and travel book author, who graduates summa cum laude in journalism from the University of Maryland, specializes in travel and food -- as well as sports and fitness. She's also a property manager and writes on DIY projects.