29 Surprising Statistics on Composting

In 2026, composting stands out as a simple yet powerful way to turn household waste into nutrient rich soil. Americans are finally wasting a little less food: ReFED’s 2026 report found US surplus food fell to 70 million tons in 2024, and households drove most of the drop.

Food scraps and yard waste make up a big share of what we throw away. Composting turns them back into soil instead of letting them rot into methane in a landfill.

Here are 29 statistics and facts about composting, from landfills and climate to worms, brush turkeys and George Washington’s dung shed. Each one links to where it came from.

Composting isn’t just about banana peels and coffee grounds; it’s a process harnessing microbes to break down organics, enriching soil and cutting emissions. For more numbers, see our gardening statistics for hobbyists.

Key numbers at a glance

Environmental Impact and Waste Reduction Statistics

1. The US composted about 25 million tons of municipal waste in 2018, the latest year of EPA national data, mostly yard trimmings, yet food was still the single biggest material in landfills at about 24 percent of everything buried (EPA).
2. The world wasted about 1.05 billion tonnes of food in 2022, and households were responsible for about 60 percent of it (UNEP Food Waste Index 2024).
3. Food loss and waste generates up to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP).
4. Municipal landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane emissions in the US, about 14.4 percent in 2022 (EPA).
5. US surplus food fell 2.2 percent to 70 million tons in 2024, the first meaningful drop since the pandemic, with households cutting about 950,000 tons. Wasted food still accounts for about 3.5 percent of all US greenhouse gas emissions (ReFED 2026 U.S. Food Waste Report).
6. Only about 5 percent of US food waste was composted in 2019, about 3.3 million tons (EPA).

Historical Facts and Trends

7. In 1787 George Washington built a 31 by 12 foot dung repository at Mount Vernon to turn manure and other waste into fertilizer. It is thought to be the first structure in the nation designed for composting (Mount Vernon).
8. In 2019 Washington became the first US state to legalize human composting (Recompose).
9. US yard trimmings composting grew from about 15.8 million tons in 2000 to 22.3 million tons in 2018, a 63 percent composting rate (EPA).
10. Between 2021 and 2023, US food scrap collection programs grew 47 percent and the number of households with access grew 49 percent, to 14.9 million households (BioCycle).

The Science of a Good Compost Pile

11. Compost microbes work best when the pile holds 40 to 60 percent moisture by weight (Cornell University).
12. The Australian brush-turkey builds a compost mound about 4 meters across and 1 meter high. Heat from the rotting plants keeps its eggs between 33 and 38°C, and the male adds or removes material to adjust it (Australian Museum).
13. For most materials, a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of about 30 to 1 by weight keeps a pile in balance (Cornell University).
14. For home compost, the EPA suggests adding at least two to three times as much browns as greens by volume (EPA).
15. Despite their color, coffee grounds and paper filters count as greens, the nitrogen-rich side of the pile (EPA).
16. Younger adults are the most likely to compost: 32 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 own a compost bin, compared with 14 percent of those 60 and older (Statista, 2017).

Innovative and Unexpected Applications

17. Human composting takes two to three months and prevents about one metric ton of carbon pollution per person compared with conventional burial or cremation, using about 87 percent less energy than cremation (Recompose).
18. The US Army composted explosives-contaminated soil at the Umatilla Army Depot in Oregon using cattle and chicken manure, potato waste, sawdust and alfalfa, saving an estimated $2.6 million compared with incineration (EPA CLU-IN).
19. By keeping its compostable waste out of landfills, Seattle’s Safeco Field saved $91,000 in landfill costs in 2011 (NRDC).
20. Middlebury College in Vermont saved $100,000 in landfill fees by composting its food waste (UNC Environmental Finance Center).
21. The Jean Pain method uses the heat of a large brushwood compost pile to warm water for a home.
22. Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, has saved $75,000 in landfill fees by diverting waste to composting (EPA).
23. Portland grocery chain New Seasons Market diverted 2,410 tons of organic waste to compost and cut disposal costs by $25,000 (EPA).
24. Composting creates about four times as many jobs per ton as landfilling or incineration (Institute for Local Self-Reliance).

Health, Soil, and Economic Benefits

25. A soil bacterium found in compost, Mycobacterium vaccae, activated serotonin-producing neurons in mice in a 2007 University of Bristol study, an effect similar to antidepressants (ScienceDaily).
26. If every American composted, it would be like taking 7.8 million cars off the road (UCSF).
27. Each 1 percent increase in soil organic matter can help soil hold roughly 20,000 more gallons of water per acre, a commonly cited estimate that NRDC’s soil expert checked and found reasonable (NRDC).
28. About 99 million acres of US cropland, 28 percent of the total, still lose soil to erosion faster than it can be replaced, which compost and organic matter help slow (USDA NRCS, 2007).
29. Most people would compost if it were easier: in one survey, 67 percent of non-composters said they would do it if it were more convenient in their community (National Waste & Recycling Association).

Conclusion: Embracing Composting for a Sustainable Future

These 29 statistics show how much composting can do, from George Washington’s dung shed to modern uses like cleaning up explosives-contaminated soil and mood-boosting soil microbes.

Composting cuts emissions and builds better soil. Start small with a backyard bin or a worm bin to join in.

Resources like EPA guides offer tips, and with US food waste finally starting to fall in 2024, every backyard bin helps keep the trend going. By integrating these stats into your routine, you reduce waste and enhance soil health, proving composting is nature’s ultimate recycler.

Frequently Asked Questions