Build Your Own Recycled Pallet Compost Bin

Do you want to limit the amount of trash you produce and help make your backyard soil healthy and productive? One of the easiest solutions to these problems is to compost your food waste. It requires little personal energy, and you will benefit from the rich compost that’s created from the breakdown of your kitchen scraps.

The only thing you really need to do is create a suitable bin for your soon-to-be compost. There are alternatives to the overpriced, plastic compost containers that some garden supply stores sell to customers. You can make your own bin using recycled shipping pallets for less than 20 dollars, or even free if you have some of the few necessary supplies.

Why to build with shipping pallets?

-Approximately 40 percent of all hardwood harvested in the U.S. is used for making shipping pallets.
-About two-thirds of pallets are used only once before being thrown out.
-1/4 of all wood in landfills is from used pallets.

Why not put some of those shipping pallets headed to the landfill to good use? You can easily find shipping pallets around your town or city; try contacting supermarkets, warehouses, and other businesses that regularly receive large shipments.

Click on either of the links below to find instructions for building a recycled pallet compost bin, or scroll down to the minute-long video from simplegiftsfarm.com, which suggests an easy and quick way to build a bin using pallets and wire hanger.

How to build a $15 shipping pallet compost bin
Pallet compost bin

Scraps suitable for composting include fruit and vegetable matter, egg shells, coffee grinds, tea bags, and most food scraps (except meat products, which can attract unwanted critters).

Happy composting!

Green Options Media is a network of environmentally-focused blogs providing users with the information needed to make sustainable choices. Written by experienced professionals, Green Options Media’s blogs engage visitors with authoritative content, compelling discussions, and actionable advice. We invite anyone with questions, or simply curiosity, to add their voices to the community, and share their approaches to achieving abundance.

By Brian Liloia, Green Options

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Jennifer C.

5:17PM PDT on May 22, 2012

Good article. Thanks.

send a green star

jayasri a.

4:27PM PST on Feb 29, 2012

Thanks for sharing! Will start looking for shipping pallets!

Nazia Y.

11:36AM PST on Dec 7, 2010

Thanks

NO EMAILS P.

4:32AM PDT on Aug 26, 2010

thanks

7:38PM PDT on Apr 26, 2010

JE L.

6:20PM PST on Feb 13, 2010

Thanks.

Billie H.

6:45PM PST on Jan 21, 2010

I know nothing about composting. I'm concerned about the attraction of bugs and the smell. I'm sure my neighbors would complain about that. Any comments???

11:34PM PST on Jan 12, 2010

We’re going to put one of these together with the Dirt to Dinner kids next weekend. I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Thanks for sharing the ideas.
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Past Member .

11:37AM PST on Jan 2, 2010

I think this is a great idea! And I'm alarmed by the amount of wood that get thrown away in the form of shipping crates! Maybe businesses should find a way to circulate them back to suppliers for reuse.

I wish there were a good method of composting indoors for those of us who live in apartments without porches.