Can You Put Raw Eggs in a Compost Bin?

All organic matter eventually decomposes -- including eggs. Compost takes all those unwanted scraps of organic waste matter and makes them useful. The main argument against composting raw eggs has been concerns about pest control. Raw eggs are compostable, however, if you use the correct methods.

You can put raw eggs into your compost bin. However, you must keep the carbon to nitrogen ratio of your compost bin balanced. Composting ingredients are often referred to as "greens" and "browns," indicating whether they are primarily nitrogen- or carbon-based. Most green, high-nitrogen compostable items are moist, such as vegetable scraps, grass clippings and raw eggs. Brown, high-carbon compostable items are usually dry, such as autumn leaves, cardboard and sawdust. While you can’t know the exact carbon to nitrogen ratio of your bin at any given time, observation of the compost bin can give an idea of the balance. The contents should be moist, but not sopping wet. Proper airflow in your bin will help raw eggs compost successfully.

The composting process is possible because microbes break down the materials you put into your compost bin. Like people, microbes need certain conditions to be met in order to perform at their best. Their ideal temperature range is 113 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit. If you turn your compost often and maintain the optimal carbon to nitrogen balance, you will notice that the center of your compost is much warmer than the outer edges. Most of the decomposition action happens here, which is why it is important to keep compost moving. Bury raw eggs in the center of the pile. The closer they are to the hot, active part of your bin, the more quickly they will compost.

The primary reason people are reluctant to compost raw eggs is the smell. Unfortunately, while decomposing raw eggs smell disgusting to humans, the odor can be very attractive to animals. Since a compost bin is enclosed, unlike a compost pile, you may have more success at deterring animal pests from making a mess of your compost.

For best results, add only a few raw eggs to your compost bin at a time, and only in tandem with an equal amount of high-carbon compostable materials. Burying the eggs in the pile not only helps them compost quickly, but also ensures that their scent is better masked by the other compost around them. If you have a tumbling compost bin, turn it a few times after adding the eggs so that they are more evenly distributed throughout your compost. No matter what type of compost bin you have, turn it daily if possible so that it decomposes more quickly. The more quickly items in your compost bin decompose, the less inviting they are to animal pests, and the quicker you can use the compost in your garden.