I have a plastic bin that I use for composting but I've only used any

Louise
by Louise
of the compost one time in the several yrs I've been saving food scraps. The bin is similar to this photo. I drilled holes all in it so it would drain during rains. I keep tossing food waste into it nearly every day and it's about half full with the top part still being whole food pieces. I'm sure that all of the bottom areas, considering this has been outside for a few yrs, is all compost. I nearly never turn over the contents, so you can see that I do a horrible job with this. I no longer want it but wonder WHAT TO DO with the contents. I consider the contents to be a little creepy because I know there are bugs in it and I'm not a huge bug fan. Small ones are fine, but if roaches are in it, and I'd guess there are, then I definitely do NOT want to be too up close and personal with this container. Sooo, what can I do to dispose of the contents? And then I guess I have to put my food scraps down the food disposal?
  4 answers
  • Cori Warner Cori Warner on Aug 17, 2014
    It doesn't sound as if you've "fed" your compost quite the right combo of dirt, grass clippings, etc otherwise you wouldn't have roaches and bugs. Healthy compost is too hot for them. I would put the whole thing out with a note for the trash service to haul the entire bin away before the creepy crawlies move into your house.
  • Louise Louise on Aug 17, 2014
    No, I've done nearly nothing right about this. I've added pine straw to it sometimes, but not often at all. My trash collector won't take something like this. It would be considered yard debris (I think) and they charge $60 to pick that up and it has to be put into large brown paper bags. Ewwww. Not gonna do that. Any other ideas on getting rid of it? Wonder if I posted it on Freecycle if anyone would want it? It's worth a try, I guess.
  • That is what black plastic bags are used for. Simply put a few shovels worth in bags and dispose slowly with your normal garbage waste. Will only take a few weeks to get this done. The other option is to use this waste in a properly redone compost pile and layer it in. It will break down quickly. last option is to simply bury it in the ground mixing it well into the soil. Microbes will digest it pretty quickly.
  • Gretchen Gretchen on Aug 18, 2014
    Where is the bin now? Outside, in a corner of your yard? You can dump it out (yes, you can do it), then consider that the compost pile. Stop adding to it, use a pitchfork to turn it all together occasionally (It'd be great if you can add some "browns" to it every once in a while) - but in any case, this too will turn to dirt/compost, Either spread that dirt around and that is the end of it or put it on your garden. Then stop composting. I guess there might be bugs in the can but I wouldn't imagine there aare huge amounts or anything really scary.