Hi Claudia,

Thanks for reaching out to Extension!

When choosing compost for a vegetable garden, many gardeners prefer to use compost that is both locally produced and biosolid‑free. Biosolids are a treated by‑product of wastewater treatment, and while they add nutrients, some people avoid them in edible gardens because they can contain trace contaminants from wastewater streams. If you want to avoid biosolids, look for compost made only from yard waste, leaves, wood chips, or food scraps, and check labels or supplier descriptions for terms like “biosolids,” “municipal solids,” or “wastewater by‑products,” which indicate that biosolids are included.

For selecting a biosolid‑free compost, the easiest approach is to choose products that list only plant‑based ingredients. Terms like “yard‑waste compost,” “food‑scrap compost,” or “plant‑based compost” are good indicators, and most suppliers can confirm their feedstocks if you ask. No matter the source, compost should be dark, crumbly, well finished, and free of strong odors, which indicates that it is mature and suitable for vegetable beds.

If one of your priorities is certified organic compost, look for OMRI‑listed products, as these are third‑party reviewed and approved. However, becoming OMRI certified can be difficult and expensive for small, local compost companies. If supporting local operations is important to you, it may be worth calling or researching local composters to better understand their practices, as many follow organic or sustainable approaches without formal certification.

In the Denver and Front Range area, several local compost companies may fit your needs. A few options you can look into include:

• A1 Organics (their EcoPlus Organic Compost is biosolid‑free and OMRI certified)
• Scraps (local food‑scrap composting service producing plant‑based compost)
• Compost Colorado (CoCo) (another food‑scrap composter with biosolid‑free materials)
• Municipal yard‑waste composts in some cities and counties

Each supplier lists their feedstocks online or can confirm whether their product is biosolid‑free, which makes it easier to choose a compost that fits your preferences for growing produce.

Hope this helps!