Compost Initiative
The Door Community Compost Initiative helps our community divert food scraps and organic matter from landfills, reduce planet-warming gases, and restore the health of Door County soils. Together, we’re closing the loop—transforming waste into a resource that strengthens our community and our environment.
When food scraps end up in the trash, they don’t just disappear. Food scraps in landfills create greenhouse gases that harm our climate. Composting keeps waste out of landfills, cuts emissions, and can give nutrients back to the soil right here in Door County.
The Problem with Food Waste
Nearly 40% of food in the U.S. is wasted, and most of it goes to landfills, according to the USDA.
In landfills, food rots without oxygen and produces methane - a greenhouse gas over 25x more harmful to global warming than CO₂.
The Impact of One Person in Wisconsin
The average person in Wisconsin tosses about 294 pounds of food each year. (source)
The Wisconsin DNR estimated that 20% of landfill waste in our state is food scraps in a 2021 study. (source)
The Local Difference We Can Make
If just 1,000 Door County households composted their scraps for a year, it would:
Keep 294,000 pounds of food waste out of the landfill.
Prevent emissions equal to driving around Earth almost 4 times, or 99,000 miles. (source: EPA, emissions of the average US car) (source: EPA WARM Model to calculate greenhouse gas emissions per pound of food waste)
Why Composting Matters
Compost at Home: Simple Steps to Get Started
Collect scraps: Keep a small bowl on your counter for food scraps throughout the day.
Transfer daily: Empty the bowl into a covered 5-gallon bucket kept outside.
Choose your path: Add scraps to your backyard compost pile or bring them to a community drop-off site.
Need a compost bucket? Get your own compost bucket with a $25 donation. These sturdy buckets come with twist-off lids to reduce odor and pests.
Contact Dave LaLuzerne at DoorCommunityCompost@gmail.com or 608-512-9633
Composting Impact in Door County
Since launching in 2020, the Door Community Compost Initiative has built a growing network of neighbors, businesses, and volunteers turning food scraps into healthy soil. Together, we’ve already made amazing progress!
400+
compost buckets distributed through our “Bucket Brigade”
15+
community drop-off
sites across the county
1,400 lbs.
of food scraps diverted at a single event (Door County Triathlon)
12
partner farms, businesses, and nonprofits hosting or supporting compost sites
Restaurants, farms, and businesses across Door County are joining the movement to keep food scraps out of the landfill. By working with our partners, we make it easy for local businesses to start composting and be part of a growing network that restores our soils and reduces emissions.
How it works:
Get buckets: Any business can purchase food scrap buckets to use on-site.
Drop off: Bring filled buckets to one of our community compost sites.
Pick-up options: In some areas, we can connect you with local pick-up services. For example, thanks to a USDA grant, the Village of Egg Harbor offers free restaurant food scrap pick-up.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact our team. We can answer your questions, support your processes and get your up and running quickly. Contact Dave LaLuzerne at DoorCommunityCompost@gmail.com or 608-512-9633
Composting Solutions for Businesses
Make Your Event Low-Waste
From farmers markets to triathlons, events can generate a lot of food waste—but composting offers a simple way to change that story. The Door Community Compost Initiative helps organizers set up food scrap stations and source compostable serviceware, so every gathering can be more sustainable.
How it Works:
Set up stations: We provide compost collection stations tailored to your event.
Switch to compostables: We can connect you with home-compostable plates and serviceware.
Volunteer support: Our team and volunteers help staff compost bins and ensure success.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact our team. We can answer your questions, support your processes and get your up and running quickly. Contact Dave LaLuzerne at DoorCommunityCompost@gmail.com or 608-512-9633
“With help from DCCI volunteers, the Door County Triathlon diverted more than 700 pounds of food scraps in a single weekend. It’s proof that when our community works together, we can make a big impact.”
Our volunteers are the driving force behind the Door Community Compost Initiative. From staffing farmers market booths to building bins and helping with food scrap pick-ups, every role contributes to a cleaner, healthier Door County.
Ways to Volunteer
Farmers Market Booths – Share composting tips and connect with the community.
Compost Pick-Up Ride-Alongs – Support our partner pick-up program.
Bin Building – Help create compost bins for community use.
Event Support – Assist with compost stations at local festivals and races.
Ready to Join?
Contact Dave LaLuzerne at DoorCommunityCompost@gmail.com or 608-512-9633
Join Our Volunteer Team
With more than 15 community compost sites across Door County, it’s easier than ever to keep food scraps out of the landfill. From farmers markets to local farms, there’s a convenient spot near you to join the compost movement.
What Goes in the Compost?
To keep our compost sites healthy and effective, we follow simple “static pile” guidelines. Most sites accept only certain food scraps—mainly fruit and veggie waste—so please check before you drop off.
Find a Compost Drop-Off Site Near You
Accepted Items:
Fruit scraps
Vegetable scraps
Coffee grounds and filters
Eggshells
Not Accepted:
Meat, fish, or dairy
Grease or oils
Plastics or packaging
“Commercially compostable” plastics
Get Compost Program Updates
Stay up to date on renewable energy opportunities in Door County. From workshops and local policy updates to new solar projects and community success stories, we’ll keep you informed and connected.
Our Compost Journey
What started as a pilot in Egg Harbor has grown into a county-wide movement. With the support of local governments, farms, businesses, and volunteers, the Door Community Compost Initiative is building a resilient system that turns waste into a resource for our soils and our future.
November 2020, the Climate Change Coalition (CCC) included a Compost Initiative in its 2021 Work Plan.
January 2021, the Door Community Compost Initiative’s official Steering Committee was created.
May 2021, volunteers picked up the first buckets of food scraps from Egg Harbor restaurants.
July 2021, DCCI officially became a partner of the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership under CCC’s wing.
August 2021, DCCI partnered with Mighty Wind Farms to support their composting efforts. Mighty Wind Farms collects food scraps from all neighbors and restaurants.
October 2022, Modeled after compost leader Mighty Wind, DCCI launches our grass-roots, community-based community compost network with our first 7 compost sites open to the public, spanning southern to northern Door, including small farms, private properties, and non-profits, all allowing neighbors and friends to deposit food scraps on their land.
May 2023, Village of Egg Harbor is awarded a compost and food waste reduction grant by the USDA with DCCI as the partner. This allows the program to pilot two years of pick up by Going Garbage from Gibraltar School and the Jacksonport Farmers Market. This also supports CCC with funds to assist in the management of community composting efforts.
June 2023, DCCI adds its 12th partnering community compost site. With 199 buckets distributed, 199 individuals are now collecting their home food scraps, diverting their food waste from the landfill, and returning that organic material back to compost piles in their yards and at community compost sites.
September 2024, Going Garbage begins food scrap pick up at Gibraltar School with program support by DCCI.
May 2024, DCCI adds a community compost site in Downtown Baileys Harbor and starts food scrap drop off at Jacksonport Farmers Market.
July 2024, Door County Triathlon allows event composting with DCCI volunteers. With a diversion of over 700 lbs, this is the largest amount of food scraps collected at an event!
May 2025, DCCI adds second community compost site in Sturgeon Bay with Newberry Farms.
July 2025, The DCCI volunteers work with Door County Triathlon to transition to BPI certified compostable plates and bowls. Total weight of food scraps collected record doubles with the group bringing in 1500 lbs of food scraps.
October 2025, DCCI debuts a new corn-cob-target to collect roasted corn cobs at Pumpkin Patch 2025.