Can You Compost Dairy?
No, not in a backyard pile. Milk, yogurt, cream and butter go rancid, smell and attract animals. A splash rinsed from a carton won't ruin anything, but regular dairy waste belongs in bokashi or municipal collection.
At a glance
| Home compost pile | No |
|---|---|
| Green or brown | Neither (not a green or brown input) |
| Moisture | Wet |
| Prep | None needed |
| Worm bin | No |
| Bokashi | Yes |
What to do with dairy instead
Use bokashi or a municipal food-scrap program. Coated milk cartons go in recycling where accepted, not in compost.
Send spoiled yogurt, cream, sour cream and butter to bokashi or your city's food-scrap bin. Small amounts of leftover milk can go down the drain. Don't add cartons or tubs unless they're plain, uncoated paper.
What goes wrong
Dairy in a pile creates a sour, rancid smell and coats material so air can't get in. If some went in, mix in dry browns and turn the pile. Repeated additions bring flies and animals.
Worm bins and bokashi
Worm bin: Keep dairy out of worm bins; it sours the bedding and smells.
Bokashi: Dairy ferments fine in bokashi; add liquid milk sparingly so the bucket doesn't get too wet.
Balancing the rest of your pile? Check the balance with the compost mix calculator.
From hopcompost.com/can-you-compost/dairy/ · General guidance, not professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can you compost yogurt?
Not in a backyard pile. Put expired yogurt in bokashi or municipal collection, and recycle or trash the tub.
Can you compost butter?
No. It's a fat, so it goes rancid and attracts animals the same way cooking oil does.
Can you compost milk cartons?
Most milk cartons have a plastic or wax coating and don't break down in home piles. Recycle them where accepted.