The EPA recommends against composting meat, whether in a pile or bin, because it can create rodent infestations and attract pests (and cause a very unpleasant smell). Raw meat can also be particularly harmful, as it could be infected with E. coli or salmonella.
According to the EPA, composting meat isn't a good idea, and they suggest avoiding that when composting traditionally. While meat does decompose over time, and meat does have many nutrients that can be highly beneficial to add to the soil, the problems meat causes are not worth the benefits it provides.
If you're composting through a municipal program, you typically can compost cooked meats, including picked-over carcasses and bones. However, home composters may want to avoid composting meat and bones, as they can draw unwanted pests to the compost pile.
Food waste is composed of organic matter which can be used for composting to make fertilizer. It is an effective and eco-friendly way of disposing of food waste in your kitchen.
Problem with composting meat
Sanitation issues: When meat decomposes, it can become infected with bacteria such as E. coli, listeria, or salmonella. If infected meat contaminates a compost pile, there is a risk of the bacteria transferring into surrounding plants.
Why Can't I Put Meat In Compost? Putting meat in compost is a food safety risk. Decomposing flesh stinks, attracting disease-spreading pests like rats and flies to your garden. Raw and cooked meat can also contain harmful bacteria, which could spread through your compost and later contaminate your crops.
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.
You can take your food scraps and put them to use in your garden without composting. That's right – you can take the cuttings, peels and roots left behind on your cutting board and deposit them directly into the soil of your garden.
By using compost you return organic matter and nutrients to the soil in a form readily useable to plants. Organic matter improves plant growth by helping to break heavy clay soils into a better texture, by adding water and nutrient-holding capacity to sandy soils, and by adding essential nutrients to any soil.
Uses in agriculture
In areas where native soil is of poor quality, the local population may weigh the risk of using night soil. The use of unprocessed human feces as fertilizer is a risky practice as it may contain disease-causing pathogens. Nevertheless, in some developing nations it is still widespread.
Carnivorous plants attract, trap and digest animals for the nutrients they contain. There are currently around 630 species of carnivorous plant known to science. Although most meat-eating plants consume insects, larger plants are capable of digesting reptiles and small mammals.
However, we compost our animal waste every single year and end up with beautiful, nutrient-rich compost that's ready to be added to our garden soil. And so can you! The reality is that animal parts are organic matter, and organic matter is what's needed to build high-quality soil.
Meat scraps can be used to prepare excellent broths that can be used as a base for risotto, braised meat or stew. Bones, veal and chicken meat are perfect for flavoring sauces, such as brown gravy – the unique demi-glace for escalopes and roasts.
Meat is composed of water, protein, fat, and some carbohydrates; enzymes and bacteria will decompose these into volatile gases including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and ethanethiol. In the process of spoilage, these gases' concentrations will increase exponentially.
DON'T add meat scraps, bones, grease, whole eggs, or dairy products to the compost pile because they decompose slowly, cause odors, and can attract rodents. DON'T add pet feces or spent cat liter to the compost pile. DON'T add diseased plant material or weeds that have gone to seed.
Oh yes! Chicken bones are good for the soil and make good fertilizer for your garden. It is a process that can take some time but the entire process is healthy for the soil.
Buried food scraps may take from two to six months to decompose, depending on soil temperature, moisture, worm population and what is buried. In good garden soil, leafy greens will break down in weeks while citrus peels may persist for several months.
When disposing of spoiled food or products possibly contaminated with botulism, place the food, swollen metal cans or suspect glass jar in a heavy opaque or black garbage bag. Close and place the bag in a regular trash container or bury it in a nearby landfill.
Dairy, Oils, and Fats
Dairy products like milk, sour cream, yogurt, cheese, and butter should not be composted because they also attract pests. The same goes for oils and fats. Processed foods that contain a lot of dairy or fat should also be left out.
However, most home composting systems have a limitation: you can't put cooked food waste, dairy products, meat and fish into them as they will putrify, producing bad odors and attracting rats and flies.
It takes one to three months for meat to decompose. But you must provide the right environment. Control the temperature, moisture content, and oxygen access. If these conditions are not regulated, meat may not decompose properly or fast.
This said, meat in compost is high in nitrogen and, as such, tends to facilitate the breaking down of the pile. So, if you decide to compost meat scraps, make sure the compost is turned frequently and keep composting meat within the interior of the pile.