A range of about a month to about a year may be the amount of time that's needed to break down food in a compost pile. The rate of the breakdown depends upon four sets of factors. One is the size of the pile. Larger piles tend to take longer to break down than smaller.
Second is the compostability of the food. For example, dairy products, greasy or oily foods, and meats aren't good candidates for composting. Among other things, they'll bring in foraging area wildlife.
Third is the following of proper procedure. Proper composting requires appropriate levels of air, heat and moisture. For example, the consistency of the compostable materials must be kept at that of a wrung out sponge.
Fourth is the number of times that the compostable materials are turned within the pile. The more the materials are turned, the faster they break down.
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