Can I Compost Pet Bedding?

Can I Compost Pet Bedding?

Whilst most pet bedding can be added to the HOTBIN, it will depend on the type of bedding used. Pet bedding tends to be either wood shavings or pellets of paper/wood so if it’s made from natural products and is 100% biodegradable you can add it to the HOTBIN.

With hot composting you also do not need to worry about separating pet waste from the bedding either as the higher temperatures will ensure that any dangerous organisms/pathogens will be eradicated from the waste

How to Compost Pet Bedding in the HOTBIN?

You will need to ensure it is mixed with other easy to digest materials such as fruit/vegetable peelings or grass. We would recommend that whatever volume of pet bedding you are adding to the bin you would need to add the same volume of easy to digest materials plus the relevant ratios of shredded paper/card and bulking agent. You may need to experiment with the amount of bedding that can be composted as it will vary depending on the types of other waste you have available.

Things to look out for:

• Sawdust, the fine particles can block the air pockets in the bin and restrict airflow. So although you could add in small amounts we would recommend not adding it at all.
• Large clumps of paper based bedding can create a solid layer that may restrict airflow.
• Watch out for large lumps of any bedding, break up when adding into the bin.

For more information on the speeds and rates of composting various wood/paper based products read our Wood, Sawdust, Paper and Cardboard post.