Compost Information
Composting benefits the environment! The Town of West Springfield is happy to offer low-cost compost bins to residents for $25. Please contact the DPW office at 413-263-3242 to find out how to purchase one.
Click through the boxes below to learn more about composting.
Reduce Waste
-Reduce the amount of waste thrown into your trash which saves on disposal fees
for your municipality
-Food is the most wasted organic material in the US
Reuse Organic Materials
-Organic materials can be broken down and turned into nutrient dense soil known
as compost
-Vegetable scraps such as onion and garlic skins, celery tops and bases and carrot
peels can be stored in the freezer and used to make homemade vegetable stock
-Potatoes, onions and garlic that have “sprouted” can be planted to re-grow new
vegetables
-Yard waste such as grass clippings and leaves make great mulch in gardens as
well as great “green” and “brown” elements of compost
Reuse "Single Use" household items
-Cardboard shipping boxes and old newspapers make great mulch for gardens.
They will help retain moisture in soil and breakdown over time to add nutrients to
the soil.
- Plastic water bottles with the necks cut off make great seedling pots.
Replenish Plants, Gardens and Soil
-Compost provides natural fertilization to flowers, vegetables, and other plants and feeds micro-organisms
-Compost rich soil retains water to prevent plants from drying out too quickly