Compost Carbon Footprint Calculator
Food waste in landfills breaks down without oxygen and releases methane. Composting it instead avoids those emissions. Enter your weekly food waste to see the annual impact.
CO2e avoided = annual food waste × the coefficient above. The default 0.5 lb CO2e/lb reflects landfill methane (IPCC AR6 GWP-100, CH4 = 28× CO2) versus composting, per EPA WARM methodology; landfill gas capture and local factors vary, so verify with EPA WARM. Disposal savings use your local bag/pickup or tip fee — leave at 0 if unknown. Equivalences: roughly 12 gal of gasoline or 12 lb of coal burned.
Method: CO2e avoided by composting vs. landfilling food waste, based on IPCC AR6 GWP-100 (CH4 = 28x CO2) and EPA WARM methodology. Landfill gas capture and local factors vary widely; verify with EPA WARM.
Related: C:N ratio calculator → · Compost hub →
Frequently asked questions
Why does composting avoid CO2e?
In a landfill, food waste decomposes anaerobically and emits methane, a greenhouse gas about 28 times stronger than CO2 over 100 years (IPCC AR6). Composting is aerobic and avoids most of that methane, so the net emissions are lower.
Where does the 0.5 lb CO2e/lb default come from?
It is an adjustable assumption based on methane GWP and EPA WARM methodology, not a single official EPA number. Landfill gas capture and local factors vary a lot, so change it to match EPA WARM or your municipality and treat the result as an estimate.
How do I value the disposal savings?
Enter whatever your local tip, bag, or pickup fee is per pound of waste. If your trash is a flat monthly rate regardless of volume, leave it at 0 — the environmental benefit still applies even if your bill does not change.