How to Compost in an Apartment

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How to compost in an apartment usually comes down to three options: an indoor worm bin, a lidded container for kitchen scraps that you take to a collection point, or a local composting program if there is no room at all. The sources here cover the worm bin in detail and point to community programs as the fallback. The EPA says vermicomposting “takes up little space,” and an archived EPA guide says it “is therefore ideal for classrooms, apartments, and high-density urban areas.” The sections below cover setup, feeding, odor and harvest.

Quick answer

• Keep a worm bin indoors, “under a sink, in a closet or basement”, as the EPA suggests. North Carolina State also lists a kitchen or bathroom.
• Use a dark bin with a tight-fitting lid, and keep the bedding damp, not soaked.
• A properly maintained worm bin “should not emit odors or attract pests”, according to both the EPA and North Carolina State.
• If a bin does not fit, the EPA suggests a local municipal or community composting program.

Why a worm bin fits a small home

The EPA’s home composting guidance describes worm composting as a method that “takes up little space, the materials are simple and inexpensive, and it can be done indoors or outdoors.” The point for a small home is the first part. A worm bin is a box, not a heap, and it does not need a yard. For a bin you can build yourself, see our guide to DIY indoor worm compost bins. The same guidance says you can keep the bin indoors, and it gives examples: “under a sink, in a closet or basement”.

North Carolina State University’s list of locations is broader. It says that “There are several suitable locations for a worm bin,” and names a kitchen, a bathroom, a closet and an apartment balcony, among others. For an apartment, that list is useful because it shows the bin does not need an outdoor space. It only needs a spot where air can move around it.

Choosing a bin and preparing it

The EPA says the bin “should have a tight-fitting lid and be a dark color to keep out light.” North Carolina State gives the same reason in plainer words: “Make sure the bin is a dark color because earthworms are highly sensitive to light.” A lid keeps light out and also keeps the bin from drying, which is why the same source warns against holes in the lid.

North Carolina State says that “Homemade worm bins will need holes drilled for aeration and drainage”, and it adds that “Do not drill holes in the lid, as they would let in light and dry out the bedding.” The EPA gives a two-bin method for plastic storage containers: “drill air holes around the upper sides of one bin near the lid and drainage holes on the bottom of the same bin”, then “Place the bin with the drilled holes inside the other bin.” The lower bin catches liquid that drains through.

A purchased bin is not required. North Carolina State describes a homemade option: “Or one can be made by buying an 18-gallon storage bin with a tight-fitting lid.” The sources do not set a size limit for an apartment.

Bedding and moisture

The EPA says to shred or tear non-glossy paper and dry leaves, then “Wring it out so it feels like a moist sponge.” It also says to “Fill the bin almost halfway with the moist bedding and then add a handful of soil.” North Carolina State describes bedding as “a nontoxic fluffy material that holds moisture and allows air to circulate.” Suitable materials include shredded paper, decaying leaves and coconut coir.

Moisture matters because worms breathe through their skin. North Carolina State says that “Earthworms breathe through their skin, which must remain moist for the gas exchange to take place.” It sets a target for the bedding: “Their bedding needs to be at about an 80 percent moisture level.” The EPA describes a moist sponge, and North Carolina State gives a number, about 80 percent. Those are two ways of describing the same target, though the sources do not convert one into the other.

Excess water causes problems of its own. North Carolina State says that “If a worm bin has adequate aeration and it is not over-watered, excess liquid should not puddle or leak out of the bottom of the bin.” It also warns that “Excess moisture can be created from wet feedstocks, so limit the amount of coffee grounds and cooked or canned foods” that go to the worms. The sources give no exact figure for how much water to add, so judge the bedding by feel.

What to feed and what to keep out

North Carolina State lists what worms can eat: “Feed earthworms any non-meat organics such as vegetables, fruits, crushed eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds, shredded paper, coffee filters, and shredded garden debris.” The EPA’s avoid list is shorter and more specific. It says to “Avoid citrus fruits, odorous foods like onions and garlic, meat, dairy products, greasy foods, bones, and pet waste.” For an apartment, those odorous and greasy items are the ones most likely to cause a problem.

The EPA says to “Chop up scraps into small pieces before adding them to the bin to allow for faster decomposition.” Chopped scraps are easier for the worms to process and easier to bury. The EPA also says to cover each addition: “Each time you add food scraps, make sure to cover them with two inches of bedding.” North Carolina State describes the same step as placing scraps “two inches below the surface of the bedding”, which is the same idea from the other side.

Amount matters too. North Carolina State states that “The amount of food should not exceed 1-inch high.” The source gives the reason: the limit “will prevent the food scraps from building up heat.” Scraps can wait before going in. North Carolina State says that “Food scraps can be stored for several days before adding them to the worm bin”, and that “Many people store food residuals in a container with a lid next to or under their kitchen sink.”

How many worms, and how often to feed

Both sources give a starting count. The EPA says to “Begin your bin with one pound of worms, about 1,000 individual worms.” North Carolina State puts it in terms of surface area: “Start with at least one pound (about 1,000) of red wigglers to one square foot of surface area of the worm bin to have a chance of developing a sustainable system.” North Carolina State also advises against collecting worms from outdoors or from a bait shop, because the species matters.

Feeding rate is less settled. The EPA composting page says that “Worms eat about 25 percent of their weight each day.” The archived EPA guide describes red wigglers differently: they are a species that “eats its weight in organic matter each day.” The two figures are not the same, so this guide does not pick one. A cautious reading is to add food in small amounts and watch what is left before adding more.

Temperature and handling

North Carolina State gives a working temperature range for red wigglers of 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, with limits from 32 to 95 degrees. The EPA gives a similar working range. For an apartment, the practical point is placement: North Carolina State says that “A worm bin should never be placed in the direct sun because it can cause the system to overheat and kill the earthworms.”

Handling is simple. North Carolina State says to “do not agitate, turn, or stir the contents of the worm bin”, and it adds that “earthworms can be killed if handled roughly.” That is different from a compost pile, which needs turning. North Carolina State adds that “Earthworm castings should be left undisturbed on the bottom of the worm bin.”

Odor, pests and leachate

The EPA says that “If your worm bin is properly maintained, it should not emit odors or attract pests.” North Carolina State says the same thing: “If a worm bin is properly maintained, it should not emit odors or attract pests.” The sources tie that maintenance mainly to moisture and to the foods the bin receives. If a bin is already running and smells, see our guide to worms in a compost bin for the basics.

Small organisms are normal. North Carolina State says that “Most of the organisms will be too small to see,” and that such organisms, including pot worms, springtails, pill bugs and mites, are not harmful to the worms. It adds that they are not “an indication there is a problem with your worm bin.” The source does not say what a serious problem looks like.

The liquid at the bottom of the bin needs care. North Carolina State explains that “There is a misconception that the runoff from worm bins (what leaks out of the bottom) can be used to grow plants.” It is actually leachate, and the source says: “Never use leachate on food crops, houseplants, or sensitive plants.” For an apartment with houseplants, that is the most important rule in the section. Keep the liquid away from the plants.

Harvesting and using the castings

The EPA says that “After three to six months, you will be able to harvest your vermicompost, or worm castings, at the bottom of your worm bin.” It also says that vermicompost does not need to cure, so it can be used right away or stored. That is a difference from a backyard pile, which the EPA says needs time to cure.

The EPA’s composting page suggests where finished material can go. Among its uses is to “mix it with potting soil for indoor plants”. That refers to compost in general, and it does not say how much to mix in. For houseplants, the warning targets the liquid, so the sources point toward keeping the liquid off the plants and not treating the bin’s runoff as fertilizer.

When a bin does not fit

Some apartments have no room for a bin at all. The EPA addresses that case directly: “If you don’t have a space for composting, consider participating in a local municipal or community composting program which may collect your food scraps or offer a designated location where you can drop them off.” That is the fallback for renters who cannot keep any bin. The sources do not describe how to find a program, so check with your city or building.

The EPA also covers appliances that promise compost. It says that “Residential pre-processing appliances reduce the volume and weight of food scraps by grinding and dehydrating them.” It adds that “these appliances do not produce compost but rather a dried food scraps mixture that can be added to a composting system” (at home or through a collection program). An appliance can cut the volume of scraps, but the output still needs a composting system or a collection program.

How we chose

We chose three pages that cover worm composting at home: the EPA composting guidance, an archived EPA backyard guide, and North Carolina State University’s Extension Gardener Handbook section on composting. We wanted sources that give specific rules for indoor bins, bedding, feeding and odor. The pages were opened on 2026-10-22. This is not a ranking of bins or appliances, and it does not recommend a product.

What we could not verify

The sources do not settle every apartment question. They give no fruit-fly control, no bin size for a small kitchen, and no odor test that works for every apartment. The two EPA feeding figures disagree, as the feeding section shows. Their working temperature ranges agree, but the sources do not say how an apartment’s heating or cooling changes the result. The EPA archived guide is an older document, and its wording is dated.

What the sources do not say

None of the three sources covers bokashi, so this guide says nothing about that method. The sources also do not say whether worm castings should be used on houseplants at a set ratio. The sources also do not give the running cost of an electric appliance, its odor level, or its noise. They do not say how long an apartment worm bin takes to produce usable castings beyond the EPA’s three to six months. Where a source is silent, read that as a gap, not as permission to fill it in.

Frequently asked questions

Can compost be made in an apartment with no balcony?

Yes, if the method is a worm bin kept indoors. The EPA says a bin can go “under a sink, in a closet or basement”, and North Carolina State lists a kitchen and a bathroom as suitable locations. If no indoor spot works, the EPA’s suggestion is a local municipal or community composting program, which may collect scraps or offer a drop-off point.

Will a worm bin smell in an apartment?

A properly maintained bin should not smell, according to both the EPA and North Carolina State. That depends on keeping the bedding moist, not soaked, and on avoiding the foods on the EPA avoid list. The sources do not give a separate odor test, so the best check is the feeding and moisture routine they describe.

What should go in an apartment worm bin?

North Carolina State lists vegetables, fruits, crushed eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds, shredded paper, coffee filters and shredded garden debris as foods worms can eat. The EPA says to avoid citrus fruits, onions and garlic, meat, dairy products, greasy foods, bones and pet waste. Chop scraps small and cover each addition with two inches of bedding.

Are electric food composters the same as compost?

No, according to the EPA. Its composting page says that these appliances “do not produce compost but rather a dried food scraps mixture that can be added to a composting system” (at home or through a collection program). An appliance can reduce the volume of scraps, but the output still needs a composting system or a collection program to become compost.

Can worm castings go on houseplants?

The EPA says finished compost can be mixed “with potting soil for indoor plants”, and it says vermicompost can be used right away. North Carolina State warns against using the liquid from a worm bin on houseplants, because it is leachate, and the source says: “Never use leachate on food crops, houseplants, or sensitive plants.” Keep the liquid away from the plants.

Sources

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Composting at Home: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home (opened 2026-10-22)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Backyard Composting: It’s Only Natural (archived guide): https://archive.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/tools/greenscapes/web/pdf/compost-guide.pdf (opened 2026-10-22)
• North Carolina State University Extension, Extension Gardener Handbook, Composting: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/2-composting (opened 2026-10-22)