The Bucket

The Bucket program allows students in the residence halls the ability to have compost collection containers in their room. This program is to help those students who have composted in previous living environments but is simplified enough so even beginning composters can contribute.

Download The Bucket Program (pps), which includes planning considerations, product details and contact information.

1. Students pay a deposit (cash or check made out to “UC Regents”) as a deposit for a composting bucket. 
   • A 2 qt. Bucket will be available for $5 (For individual)
   • An  8 qt. Bucket will be available for $10 (For a room) 
   • No other containers will be accepted for this program
2. Place only acceptable items in The Bucket.  Please refer to the website list of what can and cannot be composted.
3. It is recommended that The Buckets be returned to the Dining Commons every three days. The Bucket  must be returned and exchanged immediately if:
   • It is full
   • There is a strong odor
   • It is contaminated with insects or flies
   • Housing staff or roommate asks for it to be taken in
4. Buckets can only be returned to the Dining Commons from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., 4:35 to 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., 7 days a week
5. Once returned to the Dining Commons, the student will receive a clean Bucket of the same size and the cycle starts over again.
6. Participants must follow The Bucket Agreement and all subsequent e-mails and website alerts. Those who do not may lose their deposit.
7. Buckets will be collected at the end of the spring quarter but residents can opt out of the program at anytime by taking a clean bucket to the Student Housing Main building (across the parking lot from the ARC). When clean buckets are returned, students will be refunded their initial deposit.

Items that go in the bucket are items that can break down in nature in a relatively short period of time or under the right conditions. These items include:

All food products:

• Fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, dairy*
• Leftovers and table scraps
• Meat*, bones*, fish*
• Pizza, popcorn, etc.

Food-related items:

• Egg cartons
• Food soiled paper products – napkins, paper plates, paper cups (Starbucks "hot" cups), pizza boxes, paper cupcake liners
• Corks from bottled beverages, corkboards, etc.
• Coffee grounds, coffee filters, tea bags
• Compostable chip bags (only bags marked as compostable, like Sun Chips)
• Chopsticks, toothpicks and bamboo skewers – wooden only

Non-food related items:

• Cardboard, used matches
• Cotton balls
• Cotton swabs (made with cotton or cardboard sticks, no plastic sticks)
• Hair
• Paper – copy paper, newspaper, sticky notes, receipts, paper towels, paper towel rolls, tissues, etc.
• Pencil shavings
• Plant materials – dead flowers, leaves, plant trimmings, etc.

Non-compostable:

• Plastics, polystyrene (‘Styrofoam’)
• Glass
• Metals or foil
• Non-food liquids (oil, butane, etc.)
• Any biohazards, such as items contaminated with blood
• Bioplastic products
• Biodegradable or compostable trash bags (BioBags, etc.)
• Milk containers, waxed paper or cardboard

*Please note that these items may not be compostable in all settings, such as a backyard compost bin.

If you have questions about an item, please contact Patrice Stafford at pstafford@ucdavis.edu.

Like all compost taken from the dining facilities of Student Housing, this compost will be taken to Jepson Prairie Organics. To learn more about what Dining Services is doing to reduce waste, please visit their website at dining.ucdavis.edu/sus-recycling.html.

The Bucket Agreement (pdf)

There are several ways to learn about composting. On campus, there is no better resource than Project Compost. Their website offers education, composting instructions and information on upcoming events.

Making Compost, Black Gold for your Organic Garden

If at any point you have questions on what can or cannot be composted, or ideas for improvements to the program, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Patrice Stafford, Student Housing Sustainability Coordinator, pstafford@ucdavis.edu