Compost is the result of the normal activity of many microscopic bacteria and fungi. The process never really finishes, but does stabilize to the point where the product is ready to use. Healthy compost, like healthy soil, is a living structure ready to support vigorous plant growth. Decomposition occurs when organic material decays into its basic components. Decomposition is the way nature disassembles natural products and recycles them back into raw materials to be used again.
Organic material is anything that started out as a plant or animal.
It becomes waste when it is no longer usable or desired in its present form. Examples include food, leaves, wood, manures, plant trimmings and even paper. All organic material is compostable but the composition of the different materials affect the rate of decomposition. A major factor is the carbon and nitrogen content. The more carbon in the material, such as wood, the slower the rate of decomposition.