Hello All,
The Ophir Self Reliance Committee thanks you for helping to create a successful composting program for the Town of Ophir.
Covid-19 has changed many things and the community compost program is not an exception. We want to let you know the measures that individuals can take and that are being taken to reduce and clean communal touched surfaces. The entrance to the current compost unit is disinfected daily. The trash barn is getting a weekly deep cleaning. Huge thank you to Ken and Sydney!!!
Please wear gloves and a mask when you go to the trash barn. Scoop wood chips directly from the outdoor pile with your own compost vessel to reduce the number of people touching the scoops and buckets. Please continue to track weight, you can use the clipboard if wearing gloves or email your tracking information to ophircompost@
We encourage community members to start a home compost bin to reduce the frequency of using the community Trash Facility. Any uncooked, plant waste can be safely composted at home including coffee grounds and eggshells. Any cooked food will attract wildlife and cannot be composted at home. Here is a link to a composter that has been used successfully used for the past 10 years here in Ophir.
We are conducting a community science experiment. Compost needs a balanced ratio of food and wood to efficiently break material down in an aerobic environment. Unfortunately, in the last couple of months, we have not used enough wood and everyone can smell the result (anaerobic decomposition). Please increase the number of wood chips used! We recommend using a 1:1 ratio of food and wood chips. If your food waste is wet then more wood chips need to be added. During COVID times please use your home bucket and scooping directly from the outdoor pile of wood chips.
Other things to remember:
NO COMPOSTABLE BAGS! They do not break down and are extremely unpleasant to remove.
REMOVE ALL STICKERS
Nothing over 6” should be put in composter especially STICKS from yard maintenance.
As a community, we have been preventing 500-700 lbs of food waste each month from being driven out to the landfill in a diesel truck! Congratulations! This not only prevents the carbon emissions of the truck but also prevents the very potent greenhouse gas of methane that is produced by food waste in landfills. We have a large pile of nutrient-rich mulch from 2018 that has cured and is available for home landscaping use. Using the compost creates a richer soil and traps atmospheric carbon. Please email ophircompost@
If there is an increase in COVID cases the County has recommended the program be temporarily suspended for public use. Mark from Dirty Sturdy Mountain Compost has offered to come out weekly and for $5 he will collect a 5-gallon bucket with lid secured from your front porches and return the bucket clean and empty. If this is a service you would be interested in please email ophircompost@
Now that we have had the program for a couple of years, we would like to reassess community participation and interest. Please respond to this email with the electronically signed Ophir Compost Program Pledge form that is attached, if you are contributing to the compost, even if you have signed one before.
Click Here to Access the Ophir Compost Program Pledge
Please let us know if you have questions, or if you would like to be involved in the Ophir Self Reliance Committee.