Processed Cereal in Compost

marc_groleau · March 7, 2012

Hi All,

I'm brewing a batch of compost in a barrel. I'd say there is about 50 -60 pounds of fruit, vegetable trimmings and peels mixed with leaves and ashes. My Son gave me about 10 pounds of stale breakfast cereal of every variety. How will that work with what I've got brewing? Is processed cereal(some with sugar) at all compostable?

RayR · March 8, 2012

Sure, why not. Anything that was once alive can be composted. Cereal qualifies. Sugar is good too, more carbs for the bacteria to feast on.

laspasturas · March 9, 2012

I would try to add it in thin layers (1" or so) between other things. It probably won't be as much of a problem with small pieces of cereal, but we've found that when we add too much heavily processed food in one area it tends to kind of mummify and not break down as quickly. If you add it in layers with non-processed food in between it breaks down much faster.

marc_groleau · March 9, 2012

Great idea, thanks.

Got Worms? · June 14, 2012

I know this thread is an older one, but I thought I'd throw in my $2 (inflation). The reason that packaged breakfast cereal is not a good idea in compost is the BHT and BHA that is added as a preservative to both the packaging and the cereal itself. I think the shelf life of these products is on the order of 75 yrs. I may be exaggerating by a few months, or even years, but I like my compost to break down before I die.

Charlie

March 7, 2012	#1
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	Processed Cereal in Compost Hi All, I'm brewing a batch of compost in a barrel. I'd say there is about 50 -60 pounds of fruit, vegetable trimmings and peels mixed with leaves and ashes. My Son gave me about 10 pounds of stale breakfast cereal of every variety. How will that work with what I've got brewing? Is processed cereal(some with sugar) at all compostable?

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March 8, 2012	#2
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Sure, why not. Anything that was once alive can be composted. Cereal qualifies. Sugar is good too, more carbs for the bacteria to feast on.

March 9, 2012	#3
laspasturas Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 57	I would try to add it in thin layers (1" or so) between other things. It probably won't be as much of a problem with small pieces of cereal, but we've found that when we add too much heavily processed food in one area it tends to kind of mummify and not break down as quickly. If you add it in layers with non-processed food in between it breaks down much faster.

June 14, 2012	#5
Got Worms? Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NY Zone 5b/6a Posts: 546	I know this thread is an older one, but I thought I'd throw in my $2 (inflation). The reason that packaged breakfast cereal is not a good idea in compost is the BHT and BHA that is added as a preservative to both the packaging and the cereal itself. I think the shelf life of these products is on the order of 75 yrs. I may be exaggerating by a few months, or even years, but I like my compost to break down before I die. Charlie