compost bins

Solid Waste & Composting

Helping Broome County reduce, reuse, and compost

About our Solid Waste & Composting Programs

CCE Broome County helps residents manage waste sustainably, with free workshops, hands-on composting support, and resources for reducing what ends up in the landfill.

We offer free presentations on waste management for garden clubs, service organizations, and other community groups, along with composting and recycling programs for youth. Teachers and youth-group leaders can reach out to schedule a program.

Through our Community Compost Program, Broome County residents can compost food scraps without needing their own bin, space, or time to manage one—just a short orientation to get started. Our compost site is located on our campus at 840 Upper Front Street, next to the Broome County Regional Farmers Market building.

If you're interested in becoming a community composter or scheduling a program for your group (descriptions below), please reach out to our Recycling and Composting Educator, Devin, at dab482 [at] cornell.edu.

Not sure how to dispose of a household item, or want to know what's recyclable? Visit the Broome County Solid Waste page for guidance.

Available Solid Waste and Composting Programs

Read "Compost Stew" by Mary McKenna Siddals, a book all about the ingredients for compost in an A-Z, rhyming story. After the read-aloud, you will get to meet the wiggly worms mentioned in the book!

 Where does paper come from? Trees! Learn all about how paper is made, how we recycle paper, and why it's important to put our paper in the recycling bin. Then, you'll get to make your own sheet of recycled paper!

Learn about decomposers and their role in creating compost. In a lab-style activity, take a closer look at these amazing creatures! 

What happens to the items we put in our recycling bin? You'll find out more about the recycling process, natural resources, and why recycling (and doing it correctly!) is so important. Then test your skills in determining what items can and cannot be recycled. 

Take a deep dive into the soil to learn about microorganisms and the science of compost going on beneath our feet. This lesson utilizes a microscope so you can get a live look at the tiny organisms hard at work in the compost pile!

Get an overview of what composting is, how to start your own bin, and why it's so important. You'll leave this lesson knowing what materials can be composted and how to upkeep a healthy compost pile.