Composting Locations & Guidelines 

Wesleyan composts food scraps from Usdan Dining Hall, Summerfields Dining Hall, Pi Cafe, several campus buildings, many campus residences, and several offices.  Click the expandable links below to learn more about composting or download printable handouts for dorms/residences and offices.  

To learn more about how composting works on campus, please visit our waste management page.

  • Where do I compost?

    Public Locations

    Note: public composting locations are closed temporarily due to non-compostable materials causing contamination.  

    There are several compost bins in public locations that accept ALL food waste and ALL containers/napkins provided by Bon Appetit (except for sushi containers, which are trash).

    Outdoors

    • Outside Usdan main entrance
    • Outside Pi Cafe on Exley Church St. Patio

    Indoors

    • Exley
      • 1st floor lobby outside Pi Cafe
      • 1st floor lobby near Lawn Ave. entrance
      • Science Library 1st floor by bathrooms
    • Olin Library
      • 1st floor
      • 4th floor 
    • Usdan
      • 1st floor by printer
      • 1st floor by Usdan Cafe
      • Marketplace (dish return)
    • Summerfields (dish return)

    For questions about composting, email the Composting Interns.

    Residential Locations

    These stations accept only food waste (NO meat or dairy) and ALL containers/napkins provided by Bon Appetit (except for sushi containers, which are trash). 

    Outdoor Backyard Bins

    There are 15 self-service black composting bins located on campus that are open to use by all students and employees.  

    1. Hi/Lo-Rise Apartments (outside of Hi Rise Laundry Room)
    2. The Bayit (157 Church St., between the Bayit and WesWings)
    3. Allbritton (next to Espwesso patio)
    4. 200 Church St. (near the parking lot)
    5. The Butterfields (against the wall of Butterfields B)
    6. Brainerd Ave. and Home Ave. (53 Home backyard)
    7. Exley (loading dock along Pine St. opposite the dumpsters)
    8. Warren St. and Fountain Ave. (backyard)
    9. Vine St. and Knowles Ave. (side yard)
    10. WestCo (on the courtyard near WestCo/Foss 1)
    11. Hewitt (outside Lounge on the side of Hewitt facing Vine St.)
    12. Farm House (344 Washington St. backyard)
    13. Full/Writing House (202 Washington St. side yard)
    14. College of the Environment (284 High St. backyard) 
    15. X House (facing Davison Health Center)

    Indoor - Student Residences

    • Dorms (during academic year only): 200 Church, Bennet, Butterfields A, B, and C, Clark, Writers' Block, Nics, X House, and WestCo kitchens and/or lounges; ask your Eco Facilitator for location details
    • Program houses 
  • What can I compost?

    Note: all public composting locations are closed temporarily due to non-compostable materials causing contamination

    Check out page two of the printable recycling/compost handout to understand what's compostable where on campus.

    Compostable

    • fruits and vegetables (raw or cooked)
    • tea bags
    • coffee grounds and filters
    • bread, cereal, rice, pasta, and other grains
    • eggs and eggshells
    • unbleached or brown paper towels and napkins
    • Bon Appetit plates, cups, bowls, lids
    • WesWings and Red & Black plates
    • plants, including cut flowers and stems

    Compostable ONLY in public locations (NOT backyard bins)

    • meat and fat
    • dairy

    NOT Compostable 

    • disposable products from WesWings and Red & Black other than plates
    • plastic cutlery, stirrers
    • oils
    • liquids
    • recyclable materials (glass, metal, plastic)
    • cleaning products/chemicals
    • gloves (from food prep)
    • trash
  • How do I get a compost bucket?

    To request a bucket for an office or residence, fill out the bucket request form. Please be advised that the bucket supply changes with the season and new buckets are not always available immediately.

    Compost participants receive a bucket and instructions for collection and are responsible for emptying the bucket into the nearest black composting bin.
  • What do I do with my compost during Spring Move Out?

    Before you leave campus, please do the following:

    • Residence Hall residents: Eco Facilitators will remove the compost bucket from your building.  If you have a compost jar that you will not want to keep, please notify your Eco Facilitator so that we can reuse them.

    • Woodframe/Program House/Fauver/High Rise/Low Rise/apartment residents: Please bring your compost bucket to the nearest backyard black composting bin (do NOT empty) no later than May 19th. Visit the campus composting map if you’ve forgotten where to bring your compost.  Please do not leave bins at your back door. 

    Email wesustainability@gmail.com if you have any questions.